Because academics were important to the families who produced giants like Dr. Ben Carson, Justice Clarence Thomas, Jackie Robinson and others.
Good points.
I used to know college friends whose parents were proud and caring that their kids were getting a degree.
I’m talking about black students such as my best friend at the time. 1964-1968 at Wayne State University which had the largest black enrollment of any non traditionally black university in the US. Another friend was the only guy who never wore jeans at any time. He said his father and others had to wear jeans at work every day and he vower he wasn’t going to stay at the bottom. He ended up as a host on NPR.
Affirmative action hadn’t taken hold yet so people were qualified or not qualified based on merit. I know East Coast universities had family alumni admissions, though.
Families holding together produce at least a chance that children will go on to better lives. I’m afraid that era has been over for a while. Father absent. No church attendance. No family dinners or outings. Just individuals staring at screens for 11 hours a day.