This executive summary presents highlights drawn from the data compiled in "The African American Education Data Book, Volume I: Higher and Adult Education," the first broad national survey of the educational status, performance, progress, and financial support of African Americans in higher education and adult education. The report concludes that tremendous barriers to African American achievement remain and that many social challenges will have to be overcome before educational equality is achieved. The report notes that there are significant differences in the rates at which African American men and women enter, persist, and complete higher education degrees, and that as a result of these disparities, African Americans are less likely to fill work force positions that require college degrees. Other factors mentioned are low family incomes, which restrict entry to the full range of colleges and universities; the inadequate results of efforts to reduce attrition rates; the failure of research universities to attract representative numbers of African Americans; the persistence of test-score differences throughout undergraduate school; and choices of major fields of study (which typically limit the opportunities of African Americans to become college-level teachers and faculty). Lower participation by African Americans in adult education programs, especially career- and job-related programs, is also reported. The report text discusses these findings and illustrates some of the data in 18 charts. (CH)