Promises Kept: Raising Black Boys to Succeed in School and Life

(Spiegel & Grau) Joe Brewster and Michéle Stephenson’s documentary American Promise, which provides a look into the lives of two black families as they raise and educate their sons, premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival to critical acclaim. In February, it was broadcast on the PBS documentary series POV. Promises Kept, the companion book, is a comprehensive guide to raising black sons and dealing with the unique difficulties that black boys face as they grow up. Beard is a New York Times-bestselling author and career transition coach.