This study investigated socioeconomic and cultural factors that interplay with racial differences in adult literacy. African-American adults were shown to have statistically significantly higher book and periodical reading practices than European-Americans when income was controlled, demonstrating the important relationship between socioeconomic factors and African-Americans' literacy. African-Americans and other racial minorities obtained more information from television, magazines, and books than European-Americans, but these activities were not sufficient to overcome the gap in literacy skills between minority and majority groups. Results are discussed from Ogbu's (1990) cultural identity perspective. (Contains 3 tables.)