This paper seeks to understand Black racial identity development as defined by Cross's (1991) Nigrescence and how nigrescence aids with solutions to the double bind challenges experienced by novice Black critical literacy teacher educators committed to community engagement during their becoming processes in academia. This paper will explain the double binds of alienating role conflict for novice Black teacher educators between their private identities versus their public roles in community engagement. This paper explores the implications of incorporating the study of nigrescence in the racial literacy experiences of novice Black critical literacy teacher educators.