Alfred W. Tatum

Alfred W. Tatum, Ph.D., is a literacy scholar and educator known for his work on advancing the reading and writing development of African American boys and adolescents. He is the author of Teaching Reading to Black Adolescent Males: Closing the Achievement Gap, an award‑winning book that addresses the unique societal and educational experiences that can hinder the academic progress of Black male students. His career has included work as a middle school teacher and reading specialist, as well as leadership of university reading clinics and literacy initiatives focused on urban communities and struggling adolescent readers.

Tatum has held faculty and administrative roles at institutions including the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he served as dean of the College of Education and directed the UIC Reading Clinic, and has been recognized nationally as a leading authority on the literacy development of African American youth. In addition to Teaching Reading to Black Adolescent Males, he has authored several other books and numerous academic publications on adolescent literacy, disciplinary reading and writing, and curriculum design, and has developed reading and writing programs used widely in schools.