Teachers who are not considered to be culturally competent may misinterpret many characteristics exhibited by African American students. They may be unaware of the African American linguistic practices and characteristics and they may also be unfamiliar with research conducted by scholars such as Zora Neale Hurston and A. Wade Boykin. This lack of knowledge may cause teachers to wrongly view the behaviors and/or learning styles of African American students in negative ways. These misunderstandings could inadvertently affect the way in which some teachers perceive and interact with these students. This article extends the comparison of Boykin's African American characteristics of ADHD and includes Hurston's characteristics of Negro expression and Ford's application of Boykin's characteristics to the characteristics of African American students. Through these comparisons, the authors suggest that the performing arts not only be used as a vehicle of expression for African American students in multiple settings (i.e., school and community) but also as a tool to empower African American students with and without high incidence disabilities.