During the last twenty years, the status and performance of African American males in education has been one of the most consistently researched topics (Jackson & Moore III, 2006; Jenkins, 2006). These analyses have usually presented a disconcerting picture of disengaged African American males being habitually outperformed by their counterparts (Noguera, 2003, 2009; Jenkins, 2006). Based on these observations and the aforementioned belief that students with favorable educational experiences are more likely to experience professional prosperity in adulthood (Jackson & Moore III, 2006), it is necessary to examine the factors which threaten African American male’s? academic engagement and performance (Davis, 2003; Duncan, 2002; Jen kins, 2006; McMillian, 2003; Maton, Hrabowski & Greif, 1998; Reese, 2004; Sanders, 1997). Understanding the perceptions of adolescent African American males as it relates to understanding their own motivational values and how those values translate in to...
