No longer can scholars and practitioners ignore the influence the African American male has on all facets of American culture and academia. Currently, there are over 16.6 million African American Males in the U.S. population who are largely ignored and misrepresented. This volume of The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science is being published to help rectify that problem. "Dope addicts", "welfare pimps", home boys", "bloods" - the images of the African American male portrayed throughout the American media have been distorted to say the least. The neglected part of the story is that black males in America are products of a rich African heritage. They are sons of African kings and queens and have made enormous and valuable contributions to Western civilization. African American men are not only pioneers in sport , but have proven themselves in all walks of life including the sciences, medicine, law, engineering, and the American Armed Forces. It is clearly time for African American male studies to be realized as a legitimate field of academic inquiry. The African American Male in American Life and Thought addresses several questions in relation to this: Who are the black males? How do we define this population? What are their demographic characteristics? What impact does the black American male have on American life and thought? To examine these and related questions, a group of nationally recognized scholars and practitioners has been assembled, and represent several disciplines and areas of expertise in American studies. In this volume, scholarly research has been combined with thoughtful original essays to bring together a well-rounded view of the African American male experience within the context of American life and history.