Abstract
Sport has long been a prominent institution in the United States and even more pertinent within the African American community, offering alternative activities for kids to avoid gangs and/or drugs and possibly an avenue out of poverty. While it is statistically unlikely that a boy will achieve professional status through sport, the media, African American community and family continue to encourage African American boys to engage in sport, which can have a profound impact on their identities. Through in-depth interviews with 17 African American boys and their parent(s)/guardian(s), this study shows how sport is a symbol of success, and ultimately the American Dream for these boys, as well as how an athletic identity is constructed in an attempt to attain that dream.