African American males are overrepresented among youth in special education identified as having emotional and behavioral disorders. Compared to other youth in special education, they have the least access to needed services and the worst social and academic outcomes. Little empirically supported guidance exists to inform the development of effective and culturally responsive interventions for these youth. This article addresses this gap in the literature by reviewing existing research, and highlighting problems with current approaches to identification, referral, and treatment. The authors provide specific examples about ways to harness African American adolescents' strengths when developing culturally responsive, school-based interventions and discuss implications for educational policy.