I don't know that I would go so far as to say that "black shoes get a bad rap", but I believe they are under-appreciated in their own context. First let me say that I almost never wear black shoes other than in the evening or with mid to dark suits. But at the same time it is rare for me to put on a dark suit with anything but black shoes.
Black is the traditional color for shoes worn on serious occasions. Black shoes signify to others that the wearer is taking the occasion seriously. Now I do not mean to say that one cannot be serious in brown shoes, or that men cannot do their best without going along with symbolism, but for many men the act of putting on black shoes the morning of a serious occasion can reinforce the thought that " today I have certain responsibilities that I will do my best to fulfill."
Speaking for myself, I find that when something important is going on I feel better in black shoes. Of course it is not the shoes, but then again great ball players are often said to be superstitious because they may take the exact number of steps each time running out from the dugout to their position, or having the same thing to eat right before each game etc. Again, it is not the number of steps or what is on the plate, but it is part of a ritual that calms the mind and by calming the mind helps one to concentrate on the task at hand.
Of course there are those who do not find such things useful. Still for them it is still useful to consider whether or not the choice of what one wears is sending a signal to others. Again, speaking only for myself, I cannot help but think, irrationally or not, that a man who comes to a serious occasion in brown shoes being a bit of a dandy and his ego is to some extent centered on himself and not at the task at hand. I recognize that these thoughts may not have a basis in reality but the thought themselves are real and at least are a distraction. I am also clear that if i wear brown shoes that others may have such thought about me. Even if my shoes do not influence my performance, the thoughts they cause in others are real and may be a distraction. Moreover such distractions, whether or not they reflect an underlying reality are completely unnecessary as they never will arise if one's shoes are black.
One may think that I am over thinking the matter, or that in Toledo there could not possibly be anything important enough going on to even think about shoe color. Perhaps so. On the other hand, our friend upr crust, who posts in the What are you Wearing Today thread most days is a NYC banker charged with enough serious tasks that he is in London for business on a regular basis. Going through his posts one will see that his most common shoe with mid to dark suits is a black bal. Most of the time his monks, bluchers and slip ons are also black. Only when his is wearing a blazer, odd jacket or light suit is he likely to wear a shoe other than black. Perhaps he will favor us with his thoughts on such things.Whether or not he does so it must be recognized that he is proof that black need not be boring.