While many books decry the crisis in the schooling of African American children, they are often disconnected from the lived experiences and work of classroom teachers and principals. In this book, the authors look back to move forward, providing specific practices that K12 literacy educators can use to transform their schools. The text addresses four major debates: the fight for access to literacy, supports and roadblocks to success, best practices, theories, and perspectives on teaching African American students, and the role of African American families in the literacy lives of their children. Throughout, the authors highlight the valuable lessons learned from the past and include real stories from their own diverse family histories and experiences as teachers, parents, and community members.