This qualitative study of how parents teach their children to excel academically in the African American community seeks to establish the validity of the pedagogical practices of working class African American families by investigating the educational leadership of two families on Chicago's south side. The study acknowledges the significance of non school factors (Schubert, 1986) that contribute to academic success. Parent pedagogical strategies are consistent with research findings on the sponsored independence parent involvement style reported by Clark, (1983). Findings demonstrate the significance of intergenerational educational practices, expectations, experiential motivation, parent advocacy, rituals and other factors.