Alfred Tatum is a leading thinker, writer and activist in the area of literacy for black adolescent males. Although he has developed a niche in the area of literacy for black males, many of the ideas he promotes are transferable to all adolescent readers.

Tatum is most noted for his book Teaching Reading to Black Adolescent Males: Closing the Achievement Gap. but I am predicting his latest book will bypass his freshman project by far. I am making that prediction having only read his first book which I loved and read multiple times. His latest is Reading for Their Life: (Re) Building the Textual Lineages of African American Adolescent Males.. If the book itself is as educational and engaging as the promo videos advertising its release, WOW.

I am fighting the temptation to summarize some of the points Alfred makes, but nobody can say it quite like he can.

Here are two videos well worth watching:

Alfred Tatum talks about his latest book.

Promo video for Alfred Tatum's upcoming staff-development DVD, Reading and Writing for Resiliency