READING, REPRESENTATION & THE FUTURE OF BLACK BOYS

Dr. Wes Bellamy, Associate Professor of Political Science and Public Administration at Virginia State University, released a report titled The Economic State of Black Men and Boys in the United States. The brief utilizes public federal data along with qualitative field data collected by the John Mercer Langston Institute for African American Political Leadership over twelve months. Additionally, the report references qualitative data compiled from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Census Bureau, and the National Center for Education Statistics. The report examines the state of black men and boys in the United States through multiple lenses, including early literacy, postsecondary enrollment, employment and labor force participation, earnings, and intergenerational wealth mobility.

 The area that captivated me the most was the early literacy section because it made me reflect on my early literacy experiences as an elementary and middle school student. When I was in elementary school, in the school building, you’d see posters of celebrities blown up, books in their hands. There were D.E.A.R. periods when we had to drop everything and read for 30 minutes. We were even incentivized to purchase books through the Scholastic Book Club. Public libraries heavily promoted summer reading programs that incentivized students to read a certain number of books during the summer.

I participated in all of the above (maybe not the book club as much)  largely because my mother was an educator. She’d write words and punctuation marks on flashcards and quiz me on them daily. I had a grandmother who would routinely do homework with me, read to me, and encourage me to read aloud. These experiences deeply shaped my confidence in speaking and my love for reading. I acknowledge that this is not the experience of most black boys growing up, both at school and even in their households. These experiences afforded me a strong foundation in literacy. Dr. Will Bellamy’s report further shows that many black boys are not afforded the same level support or opportunity.

Bellamy references the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress, where roughly 17 percent of black fourth graders and 14 percent of black eighth graders performed at or above the NAEP Proficient achievement level in reading. Additionally, more than 60 percent of black eighth graders performed below the NAEP Basic level. These metrics further reinforce that these students lacked the foundational reading skills assessed by the NAEP at that grade level. One must also assess the conditions of the schools and learning environments in which reading knowledge and skills should be built. According to a report conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics, Condition of Education, concentration of poverty in public schools, 2020–21, 37% of black students attended high-poverty schools during the 2020-21 school year compared to 7% of white students. 

 This data further sheds light on the deficiencies in the educational foundation necessary to help black boys navigate postsecondary education opportunities, the workforce, and long-term financial stability. Early reading proficiency is key to predicting future outcomes, but, as Dr. Bellamy adds, factors such as school quality, family support, and neighborhood conditions also influence them.

There is no single solution to improving literacy among black boys. However, the data presented in Dr. Bellamy’s report should guide the decisions of policymakers, school administrators, educators, parents, and community leaders. Meaningful progress will require equitable school funding, better support and compensation for teachers, greater access to books, and instruction that extends beyond preparing students for standardized tests. Schools must also have the resources and flexibility to identify learning gaps early and provide students with the individual support needed to address them. Black boys cannot continue to be treated as statistics within an education system that too often overlooks their identities, interests, and potential.

In “Engaging African American Males in Reading,” professor Alfred W. Tatum argues that reading instruction should address the academic, cultural, emotional, and social needs of African American male students. He emphasizes the importance of selecting meaningful texts that connect with their experiences while helping them develop the knowledge and literary skills necessary for positive outcomes. This approach reminds us that improving literacy is not simply about requiring black boys to read more; it is also about giving them material that allows them to recognize themselves, understand the world around them, and imagine new possibilities for their lives. 

 That responsibility does not belong to schools alone. As black men, we can volunteer as reading mentors, read aloud to children, donate culturally relevant books, and support organizations such as Barbershop Books and Black Boys Read Too. These organizations demonstrate how literacy can be encouraged through representation, cultural connection, mentorship, and community involvement. Every black boy deserves to be surrounded by people who affirm that his voice matters, history belongs on a page, and literacy can become a pathway to economic opportunity and economic freedom.

 Sincerely,

Ray Saturn

WORKS CITED 

Bellamy, W. (2026, July). The economic state of Black men and boys in the United States. John Mercer Langston Institute for African American Political Leadership.

 National Center for Education Statistics. (2024). Concentration of public school students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. Condition of Education. U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences.

 Tatum, A. W. (2006). Engaging African American males in reading. Educational Leadership, 63(5), 44–4