Book excerpt: Addressing the many unique academic challenges that face black males--from low self-esteem, absenteeism, fatherlessness, and gangs to not accepting middle-class values, the impact of hip-hop culture, and drugs--this book provides answers and hope to teachers and the afflicted students and their families. With more than 75 solutions for educators to implement in their schools, including mentoring programs, rites of passage, internships, motivational speeches, counseling, and cooperative learning, this helpful resource shows how issues of retention, illiteracy, special education, and dropping out are simply symptoms of a much larger disease, and, if left unaddressed, will continue to stunt the education of black students.