Journal of Urban Affairs , Volume 28, Issue 5, Book Review, Reviewed by Terrence Allen, Wayne State University, November 2006.

Renford Reese, American Paradox: Young Black Men (Durham, NC: Carolina Academic Press, 2004).

             Today, with the emergence of "hip hop" and changing social and cultural norms, a new group of scholars is assessing current trends and suggesting appropriate policy interventions. This is particularly important because many people contend that the future of urban communities depends upon the social and economic stability of black men, the status of black women having improved in recent years.
     Young interviewed 26 men, all of whom lived in one of the poorest public housing "projects" in Chicago. On the other hand, Reese provides a powerful, first person account of self-destructive behavior, drawing heavily from his personal life experiences and the experiences of other well-known African American men.
             Reese, in his efforts to examine the internal and external influences on black male identity, chose a writing format much different from Young's.   Although less empirical, American Paradox makes an equally important contribution to the field. His book is more forthright and brutally honest about his views on the negative influences shaping the lives of the current generation of young black men.
     The book is divided into eleven chapters. In each the author deals with a prevailing social issue that most people--across racial boundaries--are familiar with.   Chapter 1, "Excuses," covers low academic achievement and racism as barriers to social mobility. Reese agrees that racism exists but contends that black people have enough economic and social resources to overcome its effects. He offers 10 recommendations for solving the problem of underachievement among black children including (a) recognition that "blacks must acknowledge that they have embraced a culture of underachievement" and (b) that "young black men must be encouraged to read more" (p17). Chapter 2, Race Matters," acknowledges the legacy of racism and describes how it has influences the psyches of black men.
      In Chapter 3, "Authenticity." Reese questions the notion that there is a single "authentic" black man. He contrasts one group (football great Jim Brown; rapper "50 Cents;" and Marion Barry, former mayor of Washington, DC, all of whom have gotten into trouble with the law) and a law-abiding second group (comprising possible role models such as Tom Bradley, former mayor of Los Angeles; Bryan Gumbel, former host of NBC's Today Show; and M.C. Hammer, a rap artist who gained fame without using profanity or demeaning women). Unfortunately, many African American believe the latter three do not represent authentic "black maleness."
     Chapter 4, Symbols of Defiance," discuss the socially crippling behavior that has become associated with young black men: tattoos, earrings, as well as anti-intellectual and hyper-masculine behavior. In Chapter 5, "The Roots if the Black Rebel in Sports," Reese criticizes those who have glorified black athletes who engage in criminal and other antisocial behavior. Chapter 6, "Lost Currency," criticizes black athletes and entertainers who have failed to help the black community despite having the resources to do so, while Chapter 7 "Popular Culture," argues that black rappers serve as societal caricatures for the entertainment of white people.
     Chapters 8 ("The Criminal Justice System") and 9 (Black-on-Black Violence") address two of the most compelling issues in the African-American community: inequities in the criminal justice system and black-on-black crime. Reese examines the theory of social justice and uses it to frame his discussion, showing how social justice is not being applied in the U.S criminal system.   In his discussion regarding black-on-black crime, Reese chronicles the experience of black men as depicted through the print and news media.

     In Chapter 10 ("Icons") Reese provides biographies of some well-known black men and reports on the results of a study asking 756 high school students to rate different black men as "real," "fake," or "in between." He purposely omitted any standard for defining what is real or fake, allowing the respondent to draw his/her own conclusions. Allen Iverson (professional basketball player) and Tupac Shakur (rapper) scored the highest with more that 80% saying they were real. David Robinson (professional basketball player and Annapolis graduate) and Tiger Woods (professional golfer) scored the lowest, both scoring below 50%. Tiger Woods and David Robinson have pristine public images. Allen Iverson and Tupac Shakur are both considered "thugs." Unfortunately, Reese does not discuss the implications of his survey.   However, the results suggest to me that many young urban boys associate manhood with getting into trouble and going to jail. This is a serious problem that the black community will have to deal with.
     In Chapter 11, "Redefining Authenticity," Reese presents a programmatic model to repair the image of black men and to develop socially conscious black male leaders. According to him, the black community should expose young black boys to positive role models, encourage them to pursue education, and motivate them to be committed to community activism. On the other hand the glorification of athletes and rap stars needs to stop.   Needed changes in the social, political, and economic conditions of blacks will not, however, occur overnight.

     While American Paradox: Young Black Men lacks a strong theoretical underpinning, it is a eye-opening read that brings to focus some the contemporary social issues that black and white America are reluctant to discuss. I would highly recommend it for courses in sociology, political science, and black studies.