The contention that among black people there is a cognitive style which seems to require a more active intervention with the learning environment than what is needed by their white counterpart is advanced in this discussion of cognitive style among black Africans and black Americans. Cognitive styles of blacks in the infant, early school, and young adulthood life stages are described. In the infant stage, birth to 36 months, the African babies experience a parenting style of socially active intimacy which appears to promote sensorimotor development superior to that of European infants. The relationship between teaching strategies and black children's cognitive modes are discussed in the light of these cognitive style differences. The decline of academic achievement of black elementary and secondary school students is analyzed. Childrearing practices in America are described for lower socioeconomic groups. The active display of cognitive and motoric domains of black athletes are described. It is suggested that the "active stream of cognition" of young black adults has not been fully tapped by education planners. Also, implications for social change which can emerge from a theory of group differentiated sensorimotor development such as the one suggested by this paper are suggested for the areas of parenting, schooling, therapy, space, and natural groupings (peer group interaction). (Author/JP)