cultural capital

American  

[kuhl-cher-uhl kap-i-tl] / ˈkʌl tʃər əl ˈkæp ɪ tl /

noun

1. Sociology. the skills, education, norms, and behaviors acquired by members of a social group that can give them economic and other advantages.

   The accumulation of cultural capital is one route to upward mobility.

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Etymology

Origin of cultural capital

First recorded in 1975–80

Compare meaning

How does cultural-capital compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• social capital vs. cultural capital

Example Sentences

In telling the little-known story of the Harlem Cultural Festival held in 1969, “Summer of Soul” presents it as a revolutionary act of Black joy, standing in contrast to the political turmoil.

From Salon • Jun. 7, 2026

From the Apollo moon landing and Woodstock to the Stonewall riots and the Harlem Cultural Festival, there wasn’t a disciple or demographic that was not directly affected over that stretch.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 19, 2025

But it’s summer, and Thompson’s assembly of neglected footage from the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival is probably the next-best thing to actually attending what eventually became known as the Black Woodstock.

From New York Times • Jul. 27, 2022

“Summer of Soul” tells the story of the mostly forgotten and unseen 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, which featured performances by a young Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly and the Family Stone, the 5th Dimension B.B.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 3, 2022

Best music film went to Summer Of Soul - a documentary about 1969's Harlem Cultural Festival, which had been all-but erased from history, which also won best documentary at last weekend's Oscars.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2022