When the Interests and Career Pressures of Black Men Intersect

By Albert A. Smith 

While conducting interviews, there were a few trends that would cause me to analyze black men and their reading habits on a deeper level. For example, their choice of major and the reasoning behind choosing it would oftentimes be indirect or not related at all.

A few students mentioned that their choice of major was solely a result of their interests, but many of the students noted that their choice was oftentimes driven by money and stability. Some even fully acknowledged that their choice was strictly a “cash-grab” and that they weren’t that engaged in what they were pursuing.

This trend revealed itself to be  prominent throughout the interviews, and it sparked my curiosity as to what African American men seek to gain from school and how the relationship between their passions and needs intersect. Despite identifying interests in the humanities, culture, and art, they would oftentimes neglect that interest in favor of a contrary major.

I’ve also gained a ton of curiosity as to how reading (as a habit) can be encouraged and promoted without academic pressure. It seemed that at the root of complications and struggles with reading was finding some time to read content that wasn’t academically assigned. While academic-based literature is essential to higher education, there still needs to be some sort of development at the personal and non-academic level. I'm really curious to see what all that might entail.

Related:

• Notes on Black Readers & Digital Culture