The Handbook of Research on Black Males: Quantitative, Qualitative, and Multidisciplinary

This vital work by Ransaw (African American & African studies, Michigan State Univ), C.P. Gause (educational leadership & counseling, Southeast Missouri State), and Richard Majors (Univ. of Colorado-Colorado Springs) encourages researchers in different fields to explore the American black male experience and share their perspectives to inform their subjects and improve their lives. Each part (history, research and research trends, health, education, criminal and social justice, hip-hop, and programs and initiatives) provides several essays and ends with a personal vignette by a former student of Ransaw. Gause's concluding piece, "Where Do We Go From Here," asks readers to explore what it means to be a black man in the United States and to find long-term solutions to gender and racial prejudice. Although all the essays are superb, the sections on education and hip-hop are particular standouts, with pointed discussion on out-of-the box teaching strategies, the school-to-prison pipeline, and hip-hop as an avenue of unpacking the complexities of black masculinity. This is a seminal piece of scholarship on the influence black males have on American society and the challenges they face on a daily basis.