Critical Race and Education for Black Males: When Pretty Boys Become Men is not another boring academic book full of complex theories and jargon that only people who have earned a doctoral degree can understand. It is a series of narratives based on the author’s experiences as a Black male from the third grade through earning his PhD in Policy Studies in Urban Education. Each chapter illustrates how race, racism, and gender influenced Dr. Vernon C. Lindsay’s upbringing in Chicago, Illinois, and the south suburbs. In vivid detail, he provides insight to his life as a preacher’s kid, the struggle in searching for an authentic vision of himself, and how school suspensions, detentions, and other infractions impacted the process to realize his full potential.

Critical Race and Education for Black Males: When Pretty Boys Become Men is written in a format conducive to students and teachers. It strategically uses language that makes the material relatable to Black males and practical for educators who desire to create positive relationships with their students. Critical Race and Education for Black Males is designed for courses that reflect the following themes: critical race theory in education; African Americans and education; introduction to urban education; social theory in educational foundations; critical pedagogy; gender, difference, and curriculum; and teaching and learning in the multicultural, multilingual classroom.