American paradox

"Author Renford Reese examines how young African-American males have unwittingly accepted one model of black masculinity. The acceptance of this "tough guy" model is having detrimental consequences on an entire generation of young black men. The book's thesis is supported by a survey the author conducted of 756 African-American males from the ages of 13-19 in Los Angeles and Atlanta. This survey attempted to gauge the attitudes, perceptions, and basic knowledge of young African-American men regarding black public figures. One component of this survey was a Realness Scale that the author constructed. Along with this survey, interviews were conducted with various young black males to find out why they, or many of their peers, have embraced the gangsta-thug persona. The results of the survey and interviews are fascinating."--Jacket.