Being a Black Man in America
The Washington Post kicks off its yearlong multimedia coverage of what it means to be a black man in America with a story about a survey conducted by the Post, the Kaiser Family Foundation and Harvard:
Black men in America today are deeply divided over the way they see themselves and their country.
Black men report the same ambitions as most Americans — for career success, a loving marriage, children, respect. And yet most are harshly critical of other black men, associating the group with irresponsibility and crime.
Black men describe a society rife with opportunities for advancement and models for success. But they also express a deep fear that their hold on the good life is fragile, in part because of discrimination they continue to experience in their daily lives.
Meanwhile, the LA Times reports that wherever the opportunity for advancement may be for black men (and women), it’s not UCLA:
This fall 4,852 freshmen are expected to enroll at UCLA, but only 96, or 2%, are African American — the lowest figure in decades and a growing concern at the Westwood campus…The 96 figure — down by 20 students from last year — is the lowest for incoming African American freshmen since at least 1973. And of the black freshmen who have indicated they will enroll in the fall, 20 are recruited athletes, admissions officials said.
Update [4/15/2007]: Angie Green of the LA Times reports on what UCLA is doing to entice the 392 black students admitted for next fall’s class to actually enroll.
