“They Schools Ain’t Teachin’ Us”: Black Males, Resistance, and Education at Uhuru High School

Resistance behaviors among Black males often are viewed as negative, even when they are used to critique oppression and school conditions in an attempt at transformation. Resistance, critical race, youth development, and intersectionality theories offer insight to the experiences of Black males in K-12 schools. This study makes use of qualitative interviews, with a foundation in critical race theory, to illustrate how the resistance behaviors of Black males can be cultivated to provide transformation. It seeks to demonstrate how a youth-focused program, the Psi Guys, influenced the lives of Black males to have an impact on school policy and school culture. Specifically, this research is a one-year study of seven Black males who attended Uhuru High School in the urban setting of Torchton. The results of the study illustrate the importance of Black male voices in understanding race, policy schools, and transformative resistance.