There is an extensive body of child welfare research on Black fathers whose children are removed from their care and placed into the foster care system. However, little research exists for Black youth who are fathers when they are placed in foster care or become fathers after they enter state care. Black fathers in extended foster care often parent their children under harsh circumstances. They learn to be fathers and meet fatherhood expectations while separated from vital family support and ensure their children's health, safety, and developmental needs with minimal guidance. Black fatherhood also takes place in the contexts of foster care constraints, racial disparities, and mass incarceration. In principle, the foster care system is positioned to prepare Black fathers for early fatherhood and to meet the needs of their children, but in practice, the system has historically struggled to meaningfully engage Black fathers and provide them with needed services. This study is driven by three research questions: (1) What knowledge around fatherhood do young Black fathers in extended foster care receive from the child welfare system; What is the experience of Black fathers in extended foster care; and (3) What needs do Black fathers have regarding fatherhood, and how are these needs being met by the foster care system? The scope of this qualitative study is limited to cases of Black fathers under the care of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, in extended foster care, and enrolled in the Teen Parenting Services Network. This study leverages thematic analysis to report the lived experience of young Black fathers in extended foster care. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were used to obtain data needed to organize and describe the experiences of young Black fathers in extended foster care. Multi-level thematic coding was used to extract codes organized into categories relevant to research questions and analysis of data. The resulting categories and codes included Black fathers in extended foster care (e.g., perceptions, perspectives), learning about Black fatherhood in extended foster care (e.g., learning from self, family, foster care system), experiences of Black fatherhood in extended foster care (e.g., expectancy, fatherhood, fathering), needs of Black fathers in extended foster care (e.g., service needs, preparedness needs), and contemplations of Black fathers in extended foster care (e.g., advice, reflections). Findings suggest diverse experiences of Black fathers in extended foster care. Fathers shared perspectives of fatherhood that included roles that fathers play in their children's lives and the benefits of their involvement in child outcomes. Fathers described themselves as deeply committed to ensuring their children's safety and financial needs. Fathers also perceived themselves to be as being very supportive of the prenatal, emotional, and mental health of their children's mothers. Most fathers learned to be fathers on their own or by observing others. Fathers identified obstacles and barriers to their father involvement and shared suggestions for services that could help them overcome them. Fathers' reflections on fatherhood in extended foster care portrayed feelings of hope and promise for their futures as fathers.