Black sexuality: A test of two theories

Testing the theoretical statements of Alfred Kinsey and James Coleman regarding racial differences in sexual experience (Coleman, 1966; Kinsey, Pomeroy, & Martin, 1948), data from three samples, covering the period 1938-70, are brought to bear on the following hypotheses: (a) Black men and women are more sexually permissive than white men and women, but such differences are more a function of social class than race (Kinsey); and (b) differences in sexual permissiveness between black men and women are less than for white men and women because of the power of the black woman in determining family status (Coleman). Results show that blacks were more likely than whites to engage in premarital sex earlier and more frequently (men and women), and with more partners (men only). They were also more likely to engage in extramarital sex (men and women), and with a greater number of partners (men only). Additionally, blacks were more liberal and accepting of sex, pursued it more, were more open about it, and reported fewer problems with it. However, no support was found for the Kinsey hypothesis that these differences are explained by social class. Furthermore, the Coleman hypothesis was also not supported, since we did not find a greater similarity between the sexual patterns of black men and women in comparison to their white counterparts. Various explanations are offered for these results.