Gifted Black Males: Understanding and Decreasing Barriers to Achievement and Identity

Abstract

Black males as a group experience disproportionate amounts of school failure. Compared to Black females and White males, for example, Black males have the highest dropout rates, poorest achievement, and lowest test scores. Further, they are sorely under-represented in gifted education and over-represented in special education. Of those Black males who do succeed in school settings, certain characteristics seem to be evident. In this article, I share these characteristics in what I am calling a scholar identity model. First, however, I discuss achievement barriers that many gifted Black males seem to face. The article ends with some recommendations for educators as they work to improve the educational status of Black males identified as gifted.