Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book describes the changes that take place in adolescence, specifically with regard to black males’ literacy development. It also describes the “turmoil milieu” and its implications for literacy among black males who attend school in America’s economically starved urban centers. The book considers how personal accounts of turmoil can be used as texts to help teachers open the pipelines of black males’ entry into America’s mainstream. It is concerned with the reading achievement gap as it relates to black males and how educators must seek comprehensive solutions to address the turmoil that young black men experience in their day-to-day lives. The book focuses on the kind of framework young black males need in an educational setting, including concepts of literacy instruction, curriculum orientation, and culturally responsive pedagogy.