Enrollment of underrepresented African American (URAA) males in higher education has declined significantly over the last decades. Past studies have identified interrelated factors that impact degree attainment for underrepresented students. Researchers typically attribute those factors to African American males' success and degree attainment. This study examined the extent of success achievement, regardless of educational attainment, for the URAA male raised in a non-affluent household. This study explored lived experiences of participants over the age of 23 and currently living in the South, specifically Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Society has defined success based on higher education degree attainment. There has been little respect for educational opportunity, racial identity, diverse cultures, social interactions, and relationships that impact URAA males' success outcomes. This qualitative phenomenological research study utilized an intuitive-reflective methodology to discover paths to success for URAA men when a degree in higher education may or may not have been pursued. Additionally, this researcher gathered unstructured data during URAA males' transcribed phone interviews and examining their responses. Themes developed from qualitative data collected will help improve social interactions and engagements with the African American male within educational, communal, social, and workplace environments. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]