The answer is: The extended family plays a greater role in African American and Latino families.
White families are more individualistic in nature, where the nuclear family itself might be close, but the extended family, that is, the cousins, uncles, aunts are not too tight knit.
The causes are not too clear but economics does play a huge role. White families generally tend to be better educated and prosperous. Different members of the society can live in different parts of the country, leading independent lives and not being in touch.
However, African Americans and Latin families usually live close to each other and even sometimes in the same house. This is usually out of economic necessity, which also helps to create stronger bonds.