Challenging the Myth of Black Male Privilege

The concept of Black male privilege has become popular in Black gender discourse. Often used by Black feminists as a conceptual tool, the theory accuses Black males of enjoying so-called privileges in society over Black women and girls. This essay assumes that privilege, if genuine, should be detectable by material standards and thus be empirically measurable. It is argued that research can not only detect whether or not privilege exists, but assess the extent to which it provides its benefactors with power, opportunities, and resources. Hence, White men and women’s privilege is measurable in a variety of socioeconomic contexts. To assess the materiality of claims regarding Black male privilege, this essay tests the theory by focusing on several general areas: leadership, domestic violence/rape, leading causes of death, income, and employment.