On the subject of blacks and education or lack thereof, this still
doesn't explain why so many, even college-educated blacks, retain
that "blaccent."
Accents are regional things, and prior to television most Americans
had distinctive regional accents, and over the years we have been
converging on a common national accent. The Southern accent still
exists, as does the New York accent, Wisconsin accent (my WI buddy
says thing like "aboat" and "hoase" for "about" and "house), etc.
But upon leaving these regions most people tend to tone down their
native accent, and their children lose it completely. Blacks are
the only people in America who keep "sounding black" no matter
where they live.
You do not see this phenomenon in other countries: For example,
black people who grow up in Britain have a perfect British accent.
Indian kids who grow up in America have a perfect American accent,
so do Chinese kids. And they are at a disadvantage because
English may not be their first language at home. So what is it
with American blacks and their blackcent? It's like they are
deliberately trying to set themselves apart from the main
population, then complain that they aren't integrated. When a
white American hears a black American he hears a foreigner, not
a fellow American.