Lamar Jackson heartbroken over disturbing stat on Black single mothers in America

Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson recently shared a social media post about single Black mothers in America on Wednesday. He posted an infographic on his Instagram story, which showed that nearly half of the Black mothers in the U.S.A. raise their children without the support of a partner.

According to the inforgraphic, the percentage of single mothers is higher among the Black ethnicity than in any other racial group. The data from an April 2023 report by the Center for American Progress revealed that 47% of Black mothers are single parents. In comparison, the numbers are 25% for Hispanic mothers, 31% for mothers from other ethnicities, 14% for White mothers, and only 8% for Asian mothers.

The infographic also noted that most of America’s 7.3 million single mothers are in their 30s or 40s and do not have a college degree.

Reposting the graphic from Visual Capitalist, an Instagram page that showcases "data-driven visual content that explains the trends shaping our world," Jackson used two sad-face emojis and a broken-heart emoji as he reacted to the statistic.

Lamar Jackson heartbroken over disturbing stat on Black single mothers in America (Source: Image via Instagram/@new_era8)

For Jackson, this issue has personal significance. He and his siblings were raised by their mother, Felicia Jones, after their father passed away when Jackson was just eight years old.

Lamar Jackson's mother Felicia Jones has played a significant role in his life

In 2005, Lamar Jackson Sr. died, and Felicia Jones worked hard to be able to support herself and their children. Before Lamar Jackson became a football star, his mother was the one training him. Unlike most parents who just watch their kids play, she ran, practiced, and did drills with him in their backyard. Since she was once a college athlete herself, she knew what it took to be great.

“She had a vision for my football career even before I did,” Jackson wrote in November 2016 for The Players’ Tribune.

When Jackson had to negotiate his NFL contract, his mother helped him as she turned agent. Some people doubted this choice, but she proved them wrong. In 2023, she helped him sign a $260 million contract with the Baltimore Ravens, which made him the highest-paid quarterback in NFL history. Jackson often speaks about his mother's influence on his career.

“Just (seeing) how she (would) grind and work without complaining … not wanting me to get a job, telling me to focus on football and she’s going to take care of everything else, seeing that, I was like, 'If she can do that, I can do anything.'" Jackson said in a press conference once while speaking about his mother.