Abstract
A college degree is closely linked to economic stability, yet only 20% of Black men in the United States hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. These disparities are not accidental; they are the cumulative result of systems that have systematically denied Black males equitable access to educational and economic opportunity across generations. This systematic review examines the compounding relationship among family structure, educational attainment, and economic standing for Black males, and considers what restoring that relationship could look like in practice. I integrate three theoretical frameworks—Education Debt (Ladson-Billings, 2006), African American Male Theory (Bush & Bush, 2013), and the R³ISE Integrative Model (Iruka et al., 2022)—to read the literature through a strengths-based, intersectional lens, and I extend Yosso's (2005) Cultural Wealth Model with two additional forms of capital: emotional and edu-economical. Three themes emerged: (a) the intersection of race, class, and gender produces distinct educational burdens for Black males, with low-income Black males incurring the greatest edu-economical debts; (b) family structure, defined broadly to include social fathers, extended kin, and community networks, interacts with socioeconomic status to shape educational outcomes; and (c) parental expectations, involvement, and support, particularly maternal advocacy and paternal participation, exert a direct influence on academic and life trajectories. Findings reframe community engagement as a restorative practice and call for university–community partnerships that build on the cultural wealth already present in African American families and communities.
Author's note
My name is Joyice Robinson Myers, Ph.D., CFLE-P. I am a 2025 graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Education, where I earned my doctorate with a specialization in Educational Psychology. I originally conceptualized this paper in a required doctoral course and later developed it into a systematic literature review for my comprehensive examination. As part of the requirements for my doctoral degree, I wrote and defended a three-paper dissertation, for which this manuscript served as the first paper.
As a practitioner, I support singles and couples in the areas of dating, relationship formation and maintenance, marriage, and family life. I am also a former classroom teacher and undergraduate instructor. Across these roles, I have witnessed how education and economics shape lived experiences across families of origin, classrooms, college campuses, romantic relationships, and family-planning decisions for African American males, from boys to men. These observations made it imperative for me to examine the connections among education, economics, family, and romance—not merely as loosely related issues, but as deeply intertwined forces that shape developmental and life-course outcomes.
I wrote this paper as a systematic literature review in 2024. The publication process was rigorous and lengthy, involving multiple rounds of revision and several months of delay. This manuscript was the first paper I submitted for publication as a doctoral student, with three additional papers to follow. I initially intended for those papers to build upon one another sequentially; however, because of the extended publication timeline, that sequence shifted. Even so, the final version of this manuscript reflects the depth, rigor, and growth that emerged through the dissertation and publication process. Although the final product differs substantially from my original submission, I am proud of the work it became and grateful for the opportunity to share it with a broader audience.
Today, I am a Certified Family Life Educator who specializes in dating, relationships, marriage, and family life for African American singles and couples through The DC Relationship Education Center. I also serve as the Students and New Professionals Representative for the Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Families Section of the National Council on Family Relations.
I have achieved this milestone with the support of my advisor, Dr. Jennifer LoCasale-Crouch, who mentored me throughout my doctoral program and through the writing of my first systematic literature review, and Dr. Steve Grande, whose thorough feedback, meaningful discussions, and unwavering support carried me through the publication process.
All opinions expressed in this paper are my own, and I have no conflicts of interest to disclose. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Joyice Robinson Myers at robinsonjs5@alumni.vcu.edu.
Recommended Citation
Robinson Myers, Joyice
(2026)
"Many Hands Make Light Work: Restoring Edu-Economical Debts for Black Males,"
VA Engage Journal: Vol. 11, Article 1.
Available at:
https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/vaej/vol11/iss1/1
Included in
Civic and Community Engagement Commons, Education Economics Commons, Family, Life Course, and Society Commons, Gender and Sexuality Commons, Income Distribution Commons, Race and Ethnicity Commons