The educational failure of ethnic minority children in the industrialized countries has persuaded some educators of the need to incorporate multicultural perspectives into the mathematics curriculum. All societies have developed mathematical practices appropriate to their daily lives and cultures, an area of mathematics known as "ethnomathematics." Benefits of incorporating students' cultural background into the mathematics program include the following: (1) increased self-esteem on the part of language minority children; (2) increased interest when instruction is related to daily life; and (3) appreciation of different ways of thinking. Impediments to combining multicultural aspects with the mathematics curriculum include the following: (1) lack of materials, (2) inadequate teacher training; (3) stereotypic views of what constitutes a "proper" curriculum; and (4) overemphasis on student performance on standardized tests. A list of 11 references and an illustration of an African sand drawing are also included. (FMW)