The questions addressed in this study concern the effects of diverse secondary school environments on Black males' perceptions of achievement and identity. Data were collected over a 2-year period utilizing discussion, observation, surveys (questions included), and interviews with Black males in five high schools in Jackson, Mississippi: (1) Bailey Alternative Secondary, a magnet school emphasizing cooperation and group learning; (2) Murrah High School representing the former all-white flagship school of the pre-desegregation era; (3) Lanier High School, an inner city school; (4) St. Joseph's Catholic High School, a suburban, racially integrated secondary school; and (5) Piney Woods Country Life, a private boarding school outside the city limits with a history as a predominantly Black school. Results suggest that most Black men desire the same opportunities in life as their white counterparts, and they appear not to suffer from low self-esteem or low self-evaluation of academic potential. However, there appears to be a lack of interest and investment in education as a means of getting ahead in life. Specific intervention strategies are recommended for education communities that contain significant Black populations. (LL)