Gifted black males in an urban high school: Factors that influence achievement and underachievement

Many gifted African American moles educated in large, urban high schools do not achieve at a level commensurate with their ability. The case studies r eported in this article describe the experiences of two gifted African Amer ican males in an urban high school. Through a qualitative approach, the sto ries of wallace, an achiever, and John, on underachiever, are told; and the factors that distinguished the school-life experiences of the two gifted B lack young men ale identified. The implications for fostering academic achi evement in urban high schools pre discussed, and 2 recommendations are offe red for educators and parents to encourage success in the lives of gifted A frican American young men.