New Report Ranks US Cities’ Commitment to Black Male Achievement

A new report gauging city-level commitment to black male achievement highlights the growth and need for programs dedicated to fulfilling the promise of black boys in America’s largest cities.

The Campaign for Black Male Achievement’s annual report, “Promise of Place: Building Beloved Communities for Black Men and Boys” (pdf), highlights the progress of 50 metropolitan areas and ranks them according to their support of efforts to improve the outcome and opportunities for young black men. The CBMA scores each city based on five factors:

• Demographic mix: The percentage of black men and boys in the population
• City-led commitment: City-led initiatives focused on black males
• CBMA membership: Presence of leaders and/or organizations in a city working on behalf of black male achievement
• Program presence: Presence of national initiatives supporting young black men
• Targeted funding: Amount of money specifically dedicated to supporting young black men

The top 10 cities on the list are:

1. Detroit
2. Washington, D.C.
3. Oakland, Calif.
4. New Orleans
5. Boston
6. Jackson, Miss.
7. Baltimore
8. New York City
9. Charlottesville, Va.
10. Philadelphia

“CBMA’s core mission is to elevate the local leaders and hometown heroes that are driving this important work forward in their cities,” said Campaign for Black Male Achievement CEO Shawn Dove. “With the field updates, promising strategies and models of courageous leadership presented in Promise of Place, we are encouraged and emboldened even as we recognize there is still much more to do in improving life outcomes and opportunities for our black men and boys.”

Established in 2008, the Campaign for Black Male Achievement is a national membership network that seeks to ensure the growth, sustainability and impact of leaders and organizations committed to improving the life outcomes of black men and boys. Through a national community of over 5,200 members and 2,700 organizations, the CBMA empowers and connects local leaders and organizations to share knowledge, resources and best practices to strengthen the field of black male achievement.