OBJECTIVES:  The aim of this study was to explore changes in risky sexual behaviors of African Americans (AA) from adolescence to adulthood and the associations of these changes with the risk of contracting sexual transmitted Infections (STI)/Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). METHODS:  Three waves (wave 1, 3 and 4) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health were used. Five indicators (drinking, Lysergic-acid-diethylamide use, injection drug use, condom use, and number of sexual partners) and one predictor (living with both parents or not) were included to develop a latent profile of young AA’s sexual behavior patterns utilizing latent transition analysis performed with SAS software version 7.3. RESULTS:  A total of 960 AAs with 59.2% females in all waves were included in this study. Latent class and transition probabilities identified four sub-groups: Multiple Risk Behaviors (Class 1), Condomless Sex (Class 2), Less Sexual Activity (Class 3), and Condom Use (Class 4). Compared to those living with a single parent or other relatives, the individuals living with both parents were less likely to locate at class 1, 2, and 4 (odds ratios [ORs] for males respectively: 0.53, 0.44, and 0.67; ORs for females: 0.49, 0.61 and 0.15 respectively). The family structure was a significant predictor of individual’s behavior pattern at their age of 14 years (p=0.0024). The majority of the AAs were at class 3 at the age of 14 years (male: 65.2%; female: 84.3%). Most young men switched to class 1 (32.3% at 21 years, 43.2% at 28 years); women relocated to class 4 (48.0% at 21 years, 45.5% at 28 years). The results of latent class and transition probabilities were confirmed with the individual’s STI/HIV infection status during the past 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: Findings of this study highlight the need for tailored intervention programs that target different subpopulations at different points in time.