The preschool and early elementary years play a major role in transforming young African American boys from "brilliant babies" into "children placed at risk". A preschool to prison pipeline now exists that is becoming increasingly apparent. It runs from preschool settings through elementary and middle school, into the high schools from which young African American men continue to drop out in staggering numbers, and ultimately, into federal and state prisons. A number of critical factors affect the status of African American boys in early childhood education. They include quality of preschool setting; teacher beliefs, expectations, and behavior; acquisition of early literacy and school readiness skills; and curriculum quality and relevance. In order to address these issues and the broader context of early childhood education for African American boys, a wide range of recommendations are made for consideration by communities and policymakers. (Contains 1 table.)