Imagine being told the way you speak — the language you use within your household, family or culture — is “wrong.” For many Black Americans, this hypothetical situation is a daily reality that plagues classrooms and workplaces.

Rather than dismissing the mannerisms of Black English, what if we embraced it, recognizing it as what it is — a legitimate dialect deserving the same respect as any other dialect within educational and professional realms?

Black English is often referred to as African American Vernacular English. It is a distinct dialect that has evolved over centuries, with roots tracing back to the forced migration of enslaved Africans to the Americas. 

People from diverse linguistic backgrounds had to develop a common means of communication during this time. This led to the beginnings of Black English, a dialect influenced by West African languages, English creole dialects and Southern American English.

Black English evolved beyond a means for survival over time, eventually becoming a key part of Black identity and cultural expression. The dialect flourished within the poetic lyricism of the Harlem Renaissance all the way to the verbal artistry of hip-hop today. 

Despite its deep and rich history, Black English is often the subject of unhealthy stigma and rhetoric and is seen as broken English rather than a legitimate system of language.

This misconception leads to discrimination in schools and workplaces, reinforcing systemic barriers for Black speakers in academic settings. Many schools assume our standard understanding of American English is the only acceptable form of communication. This leads to the devaluation of Black English and those who speak it, creating bias where students may be penalized for using their natural dialect in essays, assignments and class participation. 

It also extends to classroom interactions where Black students who express themselves in their dialect may be viewed as less intelligent, even as they possess the same academic skills as their peers. This can lessen confidence, limit in-class participation and create a cycle where Black students feel removed from academia rather than empowered by it.

Looking beyond the experiences of the individual, the systemic rejection of Black English in academia perpetuates a broader erasure of the rich culture the dialect fosters. 

When schools fail to recognize Black English as a valid dialect, they dismiss a crucial element of Black history and identity. This exclusion further reinforces the idea that academic success is tied to assimilation to existing norms rather than hard work and academic prowess. 

To accommodate Black English as a legitimate dialect in academia, educators must shift their mindset from one of correction to one of inclusion. 

Universities can offer linguistics courses on Black English, recognizing its historical significance and structure. By shifting policies and attitudes, academia can empower Black students to express themselves authentically while also developing the linguistic tools necessary to navigate different spaces.

Currently, NC State offers one course specifically emphasizing the linguistic intricacies of Black English in ENG 730: Ethnolinguistic Variation.

This course is a great start but is available only to graduate-level English students. In the future, it would be beneficial to open more similar courses or modules within courses that are accessible to undergraduate students.

While there may not be many linguistics courses available to undergraduate students, the First-Year Writing Program, which the majority of students in any undergraduate pathway will encounter during their first year at NC State, is working to expand the linguistic horizons of enrolled students. 

Zachary Beare, an associate professor and director of the First-Year Writing Program in the English Department at NC State, spoke on the program’s continued investment in linguistic diversity by promoting the study of non-traditional English literature.

“The program itself has been very invested in attending to linguistic diversity, into valuing various Englishes that are spoken and written,” Beare said. “We’ve done that through a variety of different things; by having workshops and reading groups on linguistic diversity and, specifically, Black linguistic justice.”

The Language and Life Project at NC State has created a series of documentaries on Black English, detailing its roots and the impacts the dialect has had on Black culture. Their most recent documentary, “Talking Black in America — Social Justice,” explains the impacts the stigmatization of Black English has on its speakers, specifically in education. 

This documentary posits that we see Black English as a source of strength and a creator of solidarity against linguistic oppression.

Beare also mentioned the importance of awareness in the battle against linguistic oppression and stigmatization.

“[Students] need to be introduced to that sort of range and diversity of dialects, and they also need to be introduced to the fact that there is significant linguistic discrimination that takes place in this country,” Beare said.

Black English is not a flaw to be corrected but a dialect to be respected, especially in academia. It exists as a linguistic indicator of a rich history, culture and identity in America. Academia has a choice: It can continue reinforcing linguistic discrimination within their institutions, or embrace the richness Black English can bring to the education of many. 

It’s time to move beyond our outdated biases and ask ourselves what kind of education system we want — one that silences voices or one that amplifies them?