First-Year African American males with ADHD do not persist beyond the first year of college due to barriers experienced in PWI environments. The purpose of the qualitative phenomenological action research study with a disability critical race theory framework was to investigate the role educational strategies played in the college experience of first-year African American males with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The study examined five research questions. How do African American males with ADHD describe their first-year college experience, during the first year of college experience, what factors do African American males with ADHD see as contributing or not contributing to academic success, how often do African American male college students with ADHD request assistance for academic strategy support such as time management, tutoring support service, and test-taking strategies. For African American male college students with ADHD, what is the process for registering with a disability resource office to request academic accommodations. How often do African American male college students with ADHD visit student success centers for support? If not provided the right tools to help them persist beyond the first college year, the role academic strategies can play in the first-year college experience of African American male college students with ADHD can be harmful to their academic experience, with four themes emerging: African American male misconception, environmental transition, reluctance results in passivity and sense of belonging. Implications for practice are recommended, and limitations of the study and future research are discussed. Lastly, the limitations of the study are also addressed. Data collection is included.