"Trying to find self": promoting excellence and building community among African American males / Derrick R. Brooms -- Raising African American boys: an exploration of parental educational practices and beliefs / Lionel C. Howard, Jason C. Rose and Oscar A. Barbarin -- Perspectives on educational attainment among vulnerable African American male youth / Emby Miller, Deanna L. Wilkinson, Sarah Cummings and James L. Moore III -- Closing the social studies achievement gap for African American males / Lagarrett J. King and Lamont A. Flowers -- Chutes and ladders: young African American males navigating potholes to achieve academic success / Dwan V. Robinson, Desireé Vega, James L. Moore III, Renae D. Mayes and Jacob R. Robinson -- Academic and psychosocial development of African American males in preK-12 settings / Samuel Beasley, I. S. Keino Miller and Kevin Cokley -- When federal law and state policies collide: African American boys are laden with momentous challenges / Keisha Fletcher-Bates -- Creating a college-going culture for African American males in middle school: a blueprint for school counselors / Erik M. Hines, Paul C. Harris and Dwayne Ham Sr. -- Community violence as a mediator between African American adolescent males personal challenges and antisocial behaviors / Michael Cunningham, Kevin M. Barry and Charles S. Corprew III -- A perfect storm: how pose, perception, and threat converge to perpetuate discriminatory discipline practices for black male students / Bettie Ray Butler, Derrick Robinson and Calvin W. Walton -- Readers theater and the "receivement gap": the impact of theater-based instructional strategies on African American males reading achievement / Calvin W. Walton and Greg Wiggan.