His primary scholarly focus is on representations of Black life in the slave narratives and other nineteenth century documents, and how these depictions conceal various modes of survival through literary irony and the folkloric trickster. His academic focus is on how current students of color, from early childhood through graduate school, succeed. Dr. Black has taught early childhood education (Head Start), has been the coordinator for a non-profit program seeking to keep young men of color in high school, and led campaigns for reform minded school board candidates. He applies these interests and experiences in mentoring current and former students. His research focuses on antebellum slave narratives, nineteenth-century African American literature and history, pedagogy, African American success and retention, and African American literacy education.