African Americans in the information age: Challenges and social adaptations

The adoption of computers and the Internet by firms and governments changed the job skill requirements from being able to lift 20 pounds with low literacy requirements (literacy levels 1 and 2) to having level 3 literacy proficiency with some computer and Internet skills. Operating computers and the Internet requires the ability to read, comprehend text, and follow written directions (at a minimum of level 3 literacy proficiency). In Detroit, 80 percent of adults age 16 or older are functionally illiterate (literate level 1) or barely literate (literate level 2). These adults are ill-equipped to obtain living wage employment where literacy level 3 is required and having skills to operate computers and the Internet are considered the norm.;Data for this qualitative study were collected from face-to-face interviews with patrons at the Detroit Public Library and students who were using computers at Wayne County Community College and Davenport University. In addition, staffs at the three sites were interviewed to obtain additional information about the levels of computer and Internet literacy exhibited by the patrons.;Adults in Detroit over 30 years old tend to be computer illiterate unless they received training on their jobs or in college or trade school. Adults who graduated from Detroit public schools before 1996, where computer training was optional at most schools, tended to be computer and Internet illiterate. Computer and Internet literate students who graduated from high school before 1996 indicated that most of their classmates were computer and Internet illiterate, and were not motivated to become computer literate. Most students under 25 years old who graduated from Detroit public high schools tended to be computer and Internet literate. Some public high schools in Detroit require students to become computer and Internet literate. As more public schools acquire sufficient number of computers with access to the Internet and require students to become computer literate, a greater number of poor African Americans in Detroit can be expected to become computer and Internet literate and be able to obtain jobs that pay living wages.