Self perception- I think a lot of role models in the African American community don't really set a great standard (Especially the rappers and hip-hop people). It was actually a very significant achievement with the election of Barrack Obama, I'd argue. I think the importance of his election demonstrates that it's very possible for black men and women to rise to the top of American systems of power.
Cycles of poverty- I heard once that black men are far more likely to be searched, stopped, etc than whites. I have no citation for this figure, but it seems accurate enough. It is clear that our police force has a racial profiling problem (perhaps subconscious, perhaps conscious). This subconscious preference against African Americans also applies to other authority figures.
As a result of this discrimination of the structures of power against African Americans, I think a natural fear of authority has developed among the African American community. Dave Chappelle satirized this discrepancy in a skit about his white friend "Chip".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ3dk6KAvQM&feature=related
"I mean. . . I'd be scared of talking to the police while I'm sleepy" -Dave Chappelle.
Malcolm Gladwell wrote an interesting piece in his book,
Outliers on the difference in which those of lower class relate to authority vs. those of higher class. He states that "entitlement" among those of higher social classes allows them to communicate with authority with little to no fear, allowing for them to much more easily navigate the system. On the other hand, people of lower social class tend to fear authority, which often causes them to be punished by authority, and to not receive the same benefits from authority that the higher classes do.
They tend to engage less with teachers and professors, and be less willing to articulate their needs to power figures in the educational system. Gladwell stated that parents of higher social classes tend to step up to defend their children when teachers punish them, while children of lower social class tend to have parents who allow teachers to administer their punishment without complaint.
Another thing we need to look at is parenting styles.
Mainly,
Concerted Cultivation vs.
Natural Growth.
Children who are raised by the Concerted Cultivation style tend to succeed at far higher rates than those raised by the Natural growth style of parenting.