Deficit Difference, and Bicultural Models of Afro-American Behavior

The author presents arguments against the prevailing models for describing and analyzing Afro-American culture. He rejects not only the biological and culturaldeficit models, but also presents evidence against the more recent cultural difference and culture-of-poverty models. He sees the latter models as incorrect,and also as harmful if used as a basis for new educational policies and programs. In their place, as a result of on-going field study and his several previous research projects in this area, Mr. Valentine proposes a bicultural educational model, recognizing that many blacks are simultaneously committed to both Black culture and mainstream culture, and that the two are not mutually exclusive as generally assumed.