This study provides strong support for the reliability and structural validity of Cross Racial Identity Scale (CRIS) scores in an adolescent sample, as well as further evidence about the psychometric strengths of the CRIS as a measure of nigrescence attitudes (a model developed by Cross in 2001 that contends that there are multiple racial identity attitudes). Prior to this study, there was no racial identity measure with scores validated in adolescents or for populations ranging from middle school to adulthood. The results suggest that the CRIS will be a useful tool not only for examining racial identity attitudes in other adolescent samples, but also for comparing racial identity attitudes across the lifespan. There is an urgent need for research on racial identity in African-American adolescent populations, as well as a need for valid assessment of racial identity attitudes in adolescence. The primary goal of this study was to examine the reliability and structural validity of CRIS scores in 143 middle and high school students. Tables, references