This scholarly report critiques and analyzes material on factors affecting motivation of black children. Different aspects of research in the area are explored. Of particular interest is the research on task-liking. This research indicates that blacks and whites have been shown to assume the same degree of effort orientation toward tasks of high and low interest. Such findings refute the arguments of those who hold that blacks are less able to sustain effort orientations than are whites. Research articles are reviewed and criticized. (Author/BS)