Get Rich or Die Tryin’: Media and Black Male Academic Identity Development

Black males encounter many difficulties in their educational journeys. Often these disadvantages can be linked to socioeconomic and environmental factors, which have consistently plagued the Black community. However, a relatively unexplored area of interest in higher education is the influence media representation has on the academic identity of Black males. Routinely shown in media outlets as athletes, entertainers, and criminals, Black males rarely view positive representations of themselves across media, thus limiting their academic pursuits. From this study, the researcher hoped to develop a fuller understanding on the influence between multimedia and Black male identity and academic success in higher education. Through the use of photo-elicitation and semi-structured interviews the researcher consulted with six full-time undergraduate Black males who attend historically Black institutions in the South. From the information acquired through each participant’s lived experience, the researcher learned about each contributor’s unique academic identity and means by which educators can increase and develop Black male persistence and achievement in higher education