Science and engineering careers have grown at an exponential rate during the past half century and are expected to constitute one-third of all new jobs by 2024 (National Science Board [NSB], 2018). Yet, African Americans are largely underrepresented in science and engineering careers, comprising less than 5% of the science and engineering labor force (NSB, 2018; National Science Foundation, 2017). Many of these occupations require a bachelor's degree in science and engineering; however, a large number of African American students tend to leave the science pipeline during high school (NSB, 2018; Parsons, 2008). This dissertation used data from the "High School Longitudinal Study of 2009" to examine science motivation in rural African American students. The first study tested Eccles et al. (1983) model of expectancy-value theory using a rural African American sample to examine if the predicted relations between student expectancies, values, and achievement behaviors were present. The second study applied the socialization model of expectancy-value theory (Eccles et al., 1983) and investigated the role of parental socialization on science expectancies in rural African American students. The role of gender was also explored to examine the extent to which science motivation and parental influence varied across male and female students. The results indicated that rural African American male students reported higher levels of science self-efficacy than their female counterparts, but differences favored female students for self-reports of science effort and plans to persist in science. Results also revealed statistically significant relations between science expectancies and science effort, science intrinsic value and science effort, science attainment value and student plans to persist in science, and science utility value and student plans to persist in science. Tests of the parental socialization model revealed direct effects between parental occupation in STEM, parental recommendation to enroll in science, and science expectancies for male but not female students. Science gender role beliefs mediated the relationship between parent socialization behaviors and science expectancies in female students only. These results indicated partial support of the theoretical models proposed by Eccles et al. (1983) for rural African American adolescents. Theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed. [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.]