ABSTRACT
The challenges and obstacles to full participation of African American men in the mainstream economic and social structure of American life is rapidly becoming an area of public debate. Amidst record breaking homicide rates, media sensationalism and popular stereotypes, people are inclined to forget that the most frequent victims of urban violence are young black men. The scholarly works of modern pioneers such as Gary (1981), Staples (1982), and Gibbs (1988) reflect an emerging focus on this fact. By labeling black males in America as an endangered species, Gibbs (1988) creates a graphic metaphor for a social crisis of major proportions. Nevertheless, little has been written about projects programs or strategies designed to address identified problems such as high rates of incarceration, homicide victimization, unemployment, and educational disruption among black males in American society.
