THE LOWER-CLASS NEGRO MOTHER HAS A DIFFICULT LIFE AND SEES HERSELF AS A SUFFERING MATRIARCH WHO CONFINES HER LIFE TO HER HOME, DEIFIES HER OWN WISDOM, FEELS NO ROOTS IN SOCIETY, AND WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REARING OF CHILDREN WITHOUT A STABLE HUSBAND OR A FRIENDLY SOCIETY. SHE FEELS THAT SHE MUST SUPPRESS HER CHILDREN'S INTERNAL IMPULSES AND MUST SHIELD THEM FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD. CHILDREN ARE SEEN AS OBJECTS TO BE CAREFULLY PROTECTED WHEN YOUNG AND HELPLESS, AND CONTROLLED, SHIELDED, AND SUPPRESSED WHEN THEY ARE OLDER. EFFORTS SHOULD BE MADE TO TEACH THE LOWER-CLASS NEGRO MOTHER HOW TO ACHIEVE HER GOALS, WHICH LARGELY COINCIDE WITH THOSE OF MIDDLE-CLASS EDUCATORS. TO COMPENSATE FOR THE SUPPRESSIVE HOME ENVIRONMENT AND TO ALLOW SELF-EXPRESSION, A RELATIVELY NONAUTHORITARIAN SETTING IN THE EARLY GRADES IS NEEDED. SCHOOLS SHOULD ENCOURAGE VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN PARENT AND CHILD AND SHOULD STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF INNER CONTROL FOR ACADEMIC AND EMPLOYMENT SUCCESS. THIS REQUIRES THAT THE MOTHER AND TEACHER LISTEN TO THE CHILD, SHOW HIM ALTERNATIVE WAYS OF RESPONDING TO EXTERNAL SITUATIONS AND INTERNAL IMPULSES, AND LET HIM MAKE JUDGMENTS ABOUT APPROPRIATE RESPONSES. DESIRABLE DEHAVIOR SHOULD BE CONTINUALLY REINFORCED. SCHOOLS SHOULD ENCOURAGE DISADVANTAGED MOTHERS TO PARTICIPATE IN SOCIETY AT LARGE, THEREBY INCREASING CONTACT WITH OTHER CLASSES AND OTHER VIEWPOINTS. SMALL, INFORMAL DISCUSSION GROUPS COMPOSED OF TEACHERS AND PARENTS HAVE BEEN EFFECTIVE IN BRINGING PARENTS AND EDUCATORS CLOSER TOGETHER. THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNAL OF NEGRO EDUCATION, VOLUME XXXIV, NUMBER 2, SPRING, 1965.