African American male students at an Arkansas College inspired this investigation of their life experiences and the affects of literacy enablers and obstacles African American males face in an Arkansas College. The selection process for participants incorporated convenient sampling of African American male students at an Arkansas College. The purpose of this phenomenological hermeneutic study was to understand African American Male Junior or Senior students with literacy issues from an Arkansas College. The specific problem was to discover whether their lived experiences reveal any obstacles and enablers that influenced the African American males' literacy competency. The research study, aided by NVivo 10 software, revealed common themes after analysis of data. Frequency of four themes emerged in the participants' narratives. The four most frequent themes in the lives, experiences, and choices in participant data included seeing life as a journey in influential relationships, developing ideas based on experiences in school environments, taking opportunities to learn, mentoring, and role models. Future study of African American male college students might focus on the receptivity of school systems and present stronger relational practices, strategies, and environments that foster an increase of preventive measures of the affects of literacy enablers and obstacles African American males face. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]