Young black males account for almost half of all unwed fathers. The average black adolescent unwed father is 17 years old at the birth of his first child, comes from an unusually large family, began having sex at an earlier age than other black men, and has had slightly positive educational and employment experiences. Most also exhibit a high degree of personal efficacy despite problems related to fatherhood. Unwed adolescent black fathers also appear to maintain close relationships with the mothers of their children and want to contribute financially to their support. The following barriers to responsible fatherhood are outlined: (1) the shortage of marriageable black men relative to black women; (2) media stereotypes of black men; (3) school pushouts; (4) poor employment patterns; (5) delinquent and criminal activity; and (6) a distorted sense of manhood. The following promising intervention strategies combine sensitive government policies with aggressive community-based initiatives: (1) government initiatives, such as Project Head Start, street academies, and single father employment programs; (2) corporate initiatives, such as school-business partnerships and employment programs; and (3) nonprofit sector initiatives, such as the Services for Young Fathers program (New York, New York) and the Urban League's media campaign to promote responsible sexuality and parenting. A list of 17 references is appended. (FMW)