Art
Families have always been the center of American life—but what counts as a family has changed dramatically. From multigenerational households and boarders to single parents and chosen families, Americans have continuously redefined who belongs at the table.
Art · Full story
You're sitting in a crowded kitchen in 1890, grandparents at one end, children at the other, a boarder from the factory next door passing the bread. Fast forward to 1975: your friend's mom is raising two kids alone while working nights. Now it's 2020, and your cousin's family includes her wife, their adopted daughter, and the godparents who helped raise her. The faces change, the arrangements shift, but someone is always cooking, worrying, and trying to hold it together.
Reflect
How would you describe your own family? Who's in it, and how did that come to be?