Compared to other US populations, African Americans face some of the worst health outcomes, resulting in an average life expectancy five years less than Whites’(National Center for Health Statistics, 2009; Kung, Hoyert, Xu, & Murphy, 2008; Smedley, Stith and Nelson, 2003). As overall mortality and morbidity has improved in the United States, black men remain more likely to die from chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancers compared to their White counterparts. The stark reality of African American male health is complex and has deep historical ties to the legacy of slavery. The social marginalization of African American men from slavery has stifled their health, social, economic and political mobility. There has been a modicum of individual success, such as the rise of Barack Obama into the presidency, however, for the majority of African American men, irrespective of social class, their health progress is bleak. This chapter seeks to characterize the unique characteristics of African American men, their health, the role of masculinity and male role norms, and finally community-based recommendations on how to engage African American men into public health interventions.