African American males face unique challenges navigating college, where academic rigor is compounded by societal stigmas associated with Black masculinity. Mass media often portrays Black men as hypersexualized, uneducable, and a societal threat (Jackson & Moore, 2006), while Black fathers are depicted as absent or emotionally disconnected (Lovelene & Lohmann, 1978). This narrative inquiry qualitative study explored the perceived impact of paternal warmth on African American male college students’ collegiate socialization and any anti-Blackness they may have experienced. The study was framed by Dumas and Ross’ (2016) BlackCrit and Weidman’s (2014) collegiate socialization model.Seven Black male scholars, who self-identified as having positive paternal relationships, participated in semi-structured interviews via Google Meet. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed thematically. The findings revealed that resilience, self-advocacy, emotional regulation, and relationship building were the key social skills learned from their fathers. These skills were crucial in helping participants navigate challenges as Black men in predominantly white spaces and develop their social networks. The emotional support provided by paternal warmth equipped participants with tools to advocate for themselves and others, build authentic relationships, and confront racial biases in academic spaces. These findings reinforce the significance of paternal relationships in shaping and guiding African American men throughout their college tenure.