Overcoming the Odds: Raising Academically Successful African American Young Women

When Beating the Odds: Raising Academically Successful African American Males appeared in 1998, it was hailed as "a crucial book" (Baltimore Sun) and "undoubtedly one of the most important tools the African American parent can possess" (Kweisi Mfume, President NAACP). Now, in response to enormous demand, the authors turn their attention to African American young women. Statistics indicate that African American females, as a group, fare poorly in the United States. Many live in single-parent households-either as the single-parent mother or as the daughter. Many face severe economic hurdles. Yet despite these obstacles, some are performing at exceptional levels academically. Based on interviews with many of these successful young women and their families, Overcoming the Odds provides a wealth of information about how and why they have succeeded--what motivates them, how their backgrounds and family relationships have shaped them, even how it feels to be a high academic achiever. They also discuss the challenges of moving into African American womanhood, from maintaining self-esteem to making the right choices about their professional and personal lives. Most important, the book offers specific and inspiring examples of the practices, attitudes, and parenting strategies that have enabled these women to persevere and triumph. For parents, educators, policy makers, and indeed all those concerned about the education of young African American women, Overcoming the Odds is an invaluable guidebook on creating the conditions that lead to academic-and lifelong-success.

About the Author :
Freeman A. Hrabowski, III, is President of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He is coauthor, along with Kenneth I. Maton and Geoffrey L. Greif, of Beating the Odds: Raising Academically Successful African American Males. Kenneth I. Maton is Professor of Psychology at the UMBC and Director of the Community-Social Ph.D. Program in Human Services Psychology. Monica L. Greene is Faculty Research Associate in Psychology at UMBC. Geoffrey L. Greif is Associate Dean and Professor in the School of Social Work, University of Maryland. He is the author of six books, including Out of Touch: When Parents and Children Lose Contact After Divorce (OUP).

Review :
"A valuable tool for African American parents who want to help their children achieve their highest potential, as well as for counselors, teachers, and educators at all academic levels.... Highly recommended."--Library Journal (starred review) "Overcoming the Odds: Raising Academically Successful African American Young Women is an important companion to Beating the Odds. It shares useful strategies Black parents have used to pass on a legacy of excellence to their daughters that can be an example for all parents."--Marian Wright Edelman, President, Children's Defense Fund "Overcoming the Odds presents workable strategies for enabling young women to realize their full potential. It bears testament to the wisdom of the Meyerhoff Program in creating an environment of technical and social support in its model approach to engendering success."--Kweisi Mfume, President and CEO, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People