It looks as if the historically low rate of intermarriage for black Americans may finally be changing. According to Pew, the percentage of newlyweds who married outside their race rose to 19 in 2013 — that’s up from less than 16% as recently as 2008 (see P. 10). For black women –historically less likely to intermarry than black men — the percentage rose by a third, from 9% to 12%, in just the three years from 2010 to 2013, if I read Pew’s maddeningly-presented data correctly. Given the normal glacial pace of big demographic trends, that seems like a significant, and not-so-slow, rise, … Punditry! An Obama Effect? Personally, I would like to blame welfare reform — i.e., women who used to go on welfare now go to work and come into contact with a broader array of potential partners. And “no scrubs“! But I don’t know if the intermarriage boomlet is occuring among potential welfare recipients (as opposed to the black middle and upper class).  Over to you, Kay Hymowitz …