The Systematic Barrier In IT For Black Americans
Are Black Americans Being Kept Out of the IT Industry? A Real Conversation About Race, Tech, and Access Walk into many tech companies and scan the engineering floors, data teams, cybersecurity centers, or AI divisions—and you’ll quickly notice how uneven the representation is. While the U.S. Black population is about 13–14% , Black representation in many technical roles remains around 3–5% in major tech firms. This disparity raises a critical and uncomfortable question: Are Black Americans being kept out of IT due to race? The simplest answer: Not by an explicit stated policy—but through structural, systemic, and cultural barriers that function as gatekeepers. 1. The Pipeline Problem Starts Early The path to IT often begins before college —even before high school. Many predominantly Black school districts receive less funding Fewer AP or advanced STEM classes are available Access to robotics clubs, coding electives, and tech mentors is limited Exposure to tech c...
