The legacy of slavery in the United States has impacted generations of African Americans, especially parents who must prepare their children to face the challenges associated with being a person of color in this country. The authors explore aspects of racism, White privilege, racial socialization, and African American parents' fears as they equip their children, especially their sons, with the knowledge and skills they need to negotiate challenging experiences. The authors describe how parenting strategies that have been identified as maladaptive for White children have been found to be more advantageous for African American children, in part because of the societal challenges that they face.