Expanding on the notion that resources exist with which the Black community can solve its problems, two questions are addressed. What characteristics enable Black families to resist the destruction of family functioning? How can such characteristics be translated into programs designed to help Black families with such problems as poor academic achievement and teenage pregnancy? A selected review of the literature on family strengths and Black families suggests seven traits fundamental to a definition of strength in Black families. Supporting previous findings, a study examining the characteristics of 50 stable and successful Black families indicated that these families typically had a strong economic base, a strong achievement orientation, an adaptability of roles, a high degree of religious orientation, a strong kinship bond, coping capabilities, love, resourcefulness, community involvement, and family unity. These characteristics suggest that human service workers developing programs for Black families should consider five basic principles: empower client families, address the diversity of types of Black families, provide choices to families, teach family members how to use processes of problem solving and conflict resolution, and set high standards for families. (RH)