There have been a number of empirical approaches to understanding the factors that contribute to violence among black males, and there are a number of theories that try to explain black-on-black violence. After a review of some of these theories, this paper suggests certain aspects of programs to combat violence among African American males. Theories that are described include: (1) the poverty-social disorganization theory; (2) racial oppression-displaced aggression theory; (3) the subculture of violence theory; and (4) a theory of ecosystem distrust. Although there is no total agreement about the causes on interpersonal violence, all authorities agree that the causes are multiple and that the solutions must be varied and multiple. Proactive programs begin by making the community aware of the violence and the areas in which most problems occur. A second approach is to design programs, or even separate schools, specifically for black male children or adolescents. Although this recommendation is controversial, authorities generally support the idea that these youth need mentoring and positive manhood developing experiences. Teaching young black males to resolve conflict without violence must be a commitment shared by the whole community, as several multicomponent community program examples demonstrate. (Contains 21 references.) (SLD)