The overrepresentation of African American students in special education programs is of national concern. Research has identified a higher special education placement rate of African American male students with Caucasian teachers. Yet the current U.S. teaching force includes only 4 percent African American teachers. To identify factors predictive of African American students enrolling in special education preservice teacher preparation programs, African American students were surveyed at 25 historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) nationwide and 8 Missouri public universities and colleges that offered special education teacher preparation programs. For students enrolled in HBCUs, the major factors were a desire to reverse the overrepresentation of African American students in special education programs, a desire to advocate for special needs students with the same cultural background, and the inspiration of a special needs person. For students in Missouri universities and colleges, the decisive factors were the inspiration of a special needs person and the feeling of being called to be a special educator. Role models and the financial advantages of forgivable loans, scholarships, and teaching were not factors in the decision-making process for either group. Recommendations are offered for recruiting African American students into special education preservice teacher preparation programs. Five tables present survey results. (TD)