The role of civic engagement in neighborhood revitalization, particularly in low-income African American communities, has gained greater awareness in recent years. Community, nonprofit and government leaders now view civic engagement as a critical component of effective solutions as they seek to address crime, unemployment, low graduation rates and numerous other neighborhood challenges. Several successful initiatives have come to fruition and provide clear evidence of the benefits of greater civic engagement. Experts commonly define civic engagement as individual and group actions that collectively address broad issues of concern that are public in nature. Civic engagement takes many forms, such as volunteering, community organizing, and involvement in public policy and political issues. Individuals and community residents can express civic engagement through a variety of activities, including participation in neighborhood associations, communicating with elected officials, and volunteering for local nonprofit organizations. Golod (2008) analyzed the Southside Family Charter School located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which serves as a prime example of early civic engagement. Students enrolled at the school reside in a low-income community that is close to 50 percent African American. To improve civic engagement among students and parents, school administrators have developed lesson plans focused on civil rights. As a result, the community is preparing a new generation of residents focused on improving their community who follow in the footsteps of their parents who serve as volunteers and as strong neighborhood activists. The McCormick Foundation has recently demonstrated a commitment to civic engagement here in Chicago. ..... half of the paper ...... are: Expanding the Boundaries of Civic Engagement for African American Youth. Liberal Education, 97(2), 34-39.Golod, F. (2008). Civil rights and social justice: a path to commitment and transformation. Orazio, 24(3), 6.Grillo, M.,C., Teixeira, M.A., & Wilson, D.C. (2010). Residential satisfaction and civic engagement: Understanding the causes of community participation. Social Indicators Research, 97(3), 451-466. Kimball, K., & Kopell, M. (2011). Let go. Stanford Innovation Review, 9(2), 37-41.Maton, K. I. (2008). Empowering community structures: Agents of individual development, community improvement, and positive social change. American Journal of Community Psychology, 41(1-2), 4-21.Tester, G., Ruel, E., Anderson, A., Reitzes, D.C., & Oakley, D. (2011). Sense of place among Atlanta public housing residents. Journal of Urban Health, 88(3), 436-53.