Under one roof: How Black families are reclaiming a generational way of life

By Andrea Stevens 
AFRO Staff Writer
astevens@afro.com

As more families across the United States embrace multigenerational living, many Black households are returning to a way of life that never truly left. Far from a modern trend, the presence of grandparents, extended kin and close family friends under one roof has long been central to Black family life, offering shared care, economic support and cultural continuity.

For Cynthia Winkler, 72, that way of life has come full circle. Years ago, she and her husband welcomed her mother into their home as her health declined.

“She lived with us until she passed,” Winkler said. “That’s just what you did. We took care of her.”

Now, the roles have shifted. As her husband’s mobility issues worsened and their four-story Baltimore home became unmanageable, Winkler’s daughter and son-in-law opened their doors.

“When my daughter and her husband offered for us to move in with them, it was a blessing,” she said. “I didn’t want to start over somewhere else at our age, and they saw we needed help. It really solved a lot of issues.”

The arrangement provides not only logistical support but also emotional comfort.

“I feel a lot more secure knowing they’re here,” Winkler said. “There were times when my husband would fall and I just couldn’t lift him. Now I don’t have to face those moments alone.”

Multigenerational living is on the rise in the U.S., especially among Black families. According to Generations United, nearly 1 in 4 Black Americans lives in a multigenerational household. But Donna Butts, the group’s executive director, emphasizes that this isn’t a new development. It is a longstanding model that is being revived and reshaped by today’s realities.

“Families may have come together by need after the housing crash or during COVID, but they stayed together by choice because it works,” Butts said. “The structure is rooted in strength and care, and for Black families, it’s often cultural.”

For Winkler, the roots run deep. 

“I grew up like this,” she said. “Every summer we’d go down South to the farm. I remember being with my grandparents out there. Those were some of the best times. They taught us values, little things that stick with you.”

Wrinkler believes children today miss out when elders are not part of their daily lives. 

“When kids don’t grow up around older people, they don’t learn to understand or respect them,” she said. “But when they do, they grow up with empathy. That’s why I think it’s so important to live together if you can.”

Butts agrees, noting that children raised alongside older relatives tend to be more patient and inclusive.

“Children who grow up around older adults are more patient, they listen more and they are less likely to see people who are different from them as strange,” she said. “The benefits are reciprocal — children grow, and elders feel valued.”

Butts noted that multigenerational living can provide support across all stages of life.

“We found that 34 percent of families say it helps with elder care and another 34 percent say it helps with child care,” she said. “That’s the beauty of it. It supports the full spectrum of care.”

Winkler also highlighted the financial relief such arrangements offer.

“Instead of paying for two households, we have one. We share expenses and it eases the burden on all of us,” she said. “It’s not about fully combining incomes, but it just takes the pressure off.”

For Winkler, the benefits aren’t just logistical or economic, they’re deeply emotional and cultural.

“Nobody is going to take care of you like family,” she said. “I’ve been to nursing homes, and they’re just not the same. This way, we’re all helping each other.”

In her view, bringing generations together under one roof doesn’t just preserve tradition — it shapes the future.

“Kids who grow up this way, they thrive. They carry that sense of family with them,” Winkler said.

“It becomes part of who they are.”

As the number of multigenerational households grows, families like Winkler’s are not just adapting. They are returning to something timeless.

“It’s not new,” she said. “It’s just love, passing down through the generations.”