A pervasive problem plaguing society today is the absence of positive male role-models in the home. It is especially prevalent in African American communities. A father's incarceration is a detriment to the well-being of African American adolescent females. This vast growing phenomenon, lack of attention in prior literature and minimal available programs to support this population, justifies the current study. In this research, 19 African American adolescent females were administered the 16PF Adolescent Personality Questionnaire (APQ) and five, chosen at random, engaged in a phenomenological portion of the study to share their lived experiences. The findings indicate significant common themes and personality traits. Four common themes culminated the very essence of the lived experience of the co-researchers. The four themes are: impoverished lifestyle, educational disruptions, strong external locus of control, and friends as surrogate family. The findings were discussed in terms of implications for clinical practice and recommendations for future research.