In 1933, Dr. Carter G. Woodson proclaimed," Those who have not learned to do for themselves, and have to depend solely on others, never obtain any more rights or privileges in the end than they did in the beginning." More than 75 years later, Black America faces a situation in education where less than half of Black males who start high school graduate within four years, and students in low-income, urban schools only have a 50% chance of having a qualified math or science teacher. This article introduces the special issue on Black male achievement, sponsored by the Open Society Institute Campaign for Black Male Achievement and the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, by discussing trends in academic achievement among Black males, reviewing relevant literature, and discussing civic initiatives to improve education for Black males.