ABSTRACT The purpose of this portraiture study is to describe four African-American principals' experiences, in the context of their principal's role, with the interventions they championed in meeting the needs of their struggling students. This research attempts to answer questions concerning: What role did the four principals play in the targeted school reform? What interventions did each principal introduce and what evidence of effects do they identify for each one? How did each principal's values and beliefs affect what they chose to do? Framed within Social Justice Theory (SJT), the study provides insight into how these respondents increased student achievement and social behavior through the interventions that they championed. Data collection included school observations, interviews of principal participants, and the collection of principal generated artifacts such as awards, memos, and newspaper articles. Portraiture was the method used in this study. Several themes emerged from the narratives of the two men and two women. First, all four leaders were able to bring students, parents, and school staff members together. Second, there is a clear focus on how dedicated these men and women were to their work. The results and impact of their leadership, however, appear contextually unique, serendipitous, and distinctive.