From this history, it is understandable why many African Americans abstained from alcohol or were not frequent drinkers during post-Civil War America. Importantly, the pattern of restricted use among African Americans continues to the present day. The laws prohibiting alcohol use among African Americans have been removed, and African Americans have for the most part acculturated to American culture. Thus, it is important to understand what current factors are present that place African Americans at lower risk for developing heavy episodic drinking behaviors and increase the likelihood of their abstaining from alcohol all together.
