title: How to change ActionBar menu background color (android 4 & 5)
body: <p>I've got one trouble while changing android design. I need to change action bar menu background color to black. I know, there are lots of answers for this question. I tried many of them. But nothing worked for me. </p>
  
  <p>Oh, and i forgot to say, that i am not a very skilled android developer. Here's my styles file (v21)</p>
  
  <pre><code>&lt;?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?&gt;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p></p>
  
  <pre><code>&lt;style name="AppTheme" parent="@style/Theme.AppCompat.Light"&gt;
      &lt;item name="colorPrimary"&gt;@color/mainColor&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="colorPrimaryDark"&gt;@color/secondaryColor&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="colorAccent"&gt;@color/goldColor&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="colorControlNormal"&gt;@color/mainColor&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="colorControlActivated"&gt;@color/secondaryColor&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="colorControlHighlight"&gt;@color/secondaryColor&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:navigationBarColor"&gt;@color/blackColor&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="colorSwitchThumbNormal"&gt;@color/secondaryTextColor&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:windowContentOverlay"&gt;@null&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:textColorPrimary"&gt;@color/goldColor&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:windowBackground"&gt;@color/blackColor&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:itemTextAppearance"&gt;@color/normalTextColor&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:buttonStyle"&gt;@style/ButtonStyle&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:actionMenuTextColor"&gt;@color/blackColor&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="actionMenuTextColor"&gt;@color/blackColor&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:actionBarPopupTheme"&gt;@style/Theme.Red.Widget&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:popupTheme"&gt;@color/blackColor&lt;/item&gt;
  &lt;/style&gt;
  
  
  &lt;style name="Theme.Red.Widget" parent="@style/Theme.AppCompat"&gt;
      &lt;item name="popupMenuStyle"&gt;@style/PopupMenu.Red&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="dropDownListViewStyle"&gt;@style/DropDownListView.Red&lt;/item&gt;
  &lt;/style&gt;
  
  &lt;style name="PopupMenu.Red" parent="@style/Widget.AppCompat.PopupMenu"&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:popupBackground"&gt;@color/blackColor&lt;/item&gt;
  &lt;/style&gt;
  
  &lt;style name="DropDownListView.Red" parent="@style/Widget.AppCompat.ListView.DropDown"&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:listSelector"&gt;@color/blackColor&lt;/item&gt;
  &lt;/style&gt;
  
  &lt;color name="mainColor"&gt;#373737&lt;/color&gt;
  &lt;color name="secondaryColor"&gt;#252525&lt;/color&gt;
  &lt;color name="goldColor"&gt;#cea939&lt;/color&gt;
  &lt;style name="Divider"&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:layout_width"&gt;match_parent&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:layout_height"&gt;1dp&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:background"&gt;?android:attr/listDivider&lt;/item&gt;
  &lt;/style&gt;
  &lt;style name="ButtonStyle" parent="android:Widget.Button"&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:background"&gt;@drawable/custom_btn&lt;/item&gt;
  &lt;/style&gt;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p></p>
  
  <p>And here is my code for lower android releases. </p>
  
  <pre><code>&lt;resources&gt;
  
  &lt;style name="AppTheme" parent="@style/Theme.AppCompat.Light"&gt;
      &lt;item name="colorPrimary"&gt;@color/mainColor&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="colorPrimaryDark"&gt;#856f2d&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="colorAccent"&gt;@color/mainColor&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="colorControlNormal"&gt;@color/mainColor&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="colorControlActivated"&gt;#856f2d&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="colorControlHighlight"&gt;#856f2d&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="colorSwitchThumbNormal"&gt;@color/mainColor&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:windowContentOverlay"&gt;@null&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:textColorPrimary"&gt;@color/blackColor&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:textColorSecondary"&gt;@color/blackColor&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:textColorTertiary"&gt;@color/blackColor&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:windowBackground"&gt;@color/backgroundColor&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:itemTextAppearance"&gt;@color/normalTextColor&lt;/item&gt;
  
      &lt;item name="android:editTextBackground"&gt;@drawable/apptheme_edit_text_holo_light&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:textColorHighlight"&gt;#99cea939&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:textSelectHandleLeft"&gt;@drawable/apptheme_text_select_handle_left&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:textSelectHandleRight"&gt;@drawable/apptheme_text_select_handle_right&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:textSelectHandle"&gt;@drawable/apptheme_text_select_handle_middle&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:autoCompleteTextViewStyle"&gt;@style/AutoCompleteTextViewAppTheme&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:listChoiceIndicatorMultiple"&gt;@drawable/apptheme_btn_check_holo_light&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:listChoiceIndicatorSingle"&gt;@drawable/apptheme_btn_radio_holo_light&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:buttonStyle"&gt;@style/ButtonAppTheme&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:imageButtonStyle"&gt;@style/ImageButtonAppTheme&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:dropDownSpinnerStyle"&gt;@style/SpinnerAppTheme&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:progressBarStyleHorizontal"&gt;@style/ProgressBarAppTheme&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:seekBarStyle"&gt;@style/SeekBarAppTheme&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:ratingBarStyle"&gt;@style/RatingBarAppTheme&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:ratingBarStyleIndicator"&gt;@style/RatingBarBigAppTheme&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:ratingBarStyleSmall"&gt;@style/RatingBarSmallAppTheme&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:buttonStyleToggle"&gt;@style/ToggleAppTheme&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:listChoiceBackgroundIndicator"&gt;@drawable/apptheme_list_selector_holo_light&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:activatedBackgroundIndicator"&gt;@drawable/apptheme_activated_background_holo_light&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:fastScrollThumbDrawable"&gt;@drawable/apptheme_fastscroll_thumb_holo&lt;/item&gt;
  
  &lt;/style&gt;
  
  &lt;style name="SettingsToolbarTheme" parent="ThemeOverlay.AppCompat.Dark.ActionBar"&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:textColorPrimary"&gt;@color/goldColor&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="actionMenuTextColor"&gt;@color/abc_primary_text_material_light&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:textColorSecondary"&gt;@color/goldColor&lt;/item&gt;
  &lt;/style&gt;
  
  &lt;style name="Divider"&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:layout_width"&gt;match_parent&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:layout_height"&gt;1dp&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:background"&gt;?android:attr/listDivider&lt;/item&gt;
  &lt;/style&gt;
  &lt;style name="AutoCompleteTextViewAppTheme" parent="android:Widget.Holo.Light.AutoCompleteTextView"&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:dropDownSelector"&gt;@drawable/apptheme_list_selector_holo_light&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:background"&gt;@drawable/apptheme_edit_text_holo_light&lt;/item&gt;
  &lt;/style&gt;
  &lt;style name="ButtonAppTheme" parent="android:Widget.Holo.Light.Button"&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:background"&gt;@drawable/apptheme_btn_default_holo_light&lt;/item&gt;
  &lt;/style&gt;
  &lt;style name="ImageButtonAppTheme" parent="android:Widget.Holo.Light.ImageButton"&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:background"&gt;@drawable/apptheme_btn_default_holo_light&lt;/item&gt;
  &lt;/style&gt;
  &lt;style name="SpinnerAppTheme" parent="android:Widget.Holo.Light.Spinner"&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:background"&gt;@drawable/apptheme_spinner_background_holo_light&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:dropDownSelector"&gt;@drawable/apptheme_list_selector_holo_light&lt;/item&gt;
  &lt;/style&gt;
  &lt;style name="TabAppTheme"&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:gravity"&gt;center_horizontal&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:paddingLeft"&gt;16dip&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:paddingRight"&gt;16dip&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:background"&gt;@drawable/apptheme_tab_indicator_holo&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:layout_width"&gt;0dip&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:layout_weight"&gt;1&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:minWidth"&gt;80dip&lt;/item&gt;
  &lt;/style&gt;
  &lt;style name="TabTextAppTheme"&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:textColor"&gt;#000000&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:textSize"&gt;12sp&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:textStyle"&gt;bold&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;!-- v14 &lt;item name="android:textAllCaps"&gt;true&lt;/item&gt; --&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:ellipsize"&gt;marquee&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:maxLines"&gt;2&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:maxWidth"&gt;180dip&lt;/item&gt;
  &lt;/style&gt;
  &lt;style name="ProgressBarAppTheme" parent="android:Widget.Holo.Light.ProgressBar.Horizontal"&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:progressDrawable"&gt;@drawable/apptheme_progress_horizontal_holo_light&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:indeterminateDrawable"&gt;@drawable/apptheme_progress_indeterminate_horizontal_holo_light&lt;/item&gt;
  &lt;/style&gt;
  &lt;style name="SeekBarAppTheme" parent="android:Widget.Holo.Light.SeekBar"&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:progressDrawable"&gt;@drawable/apptheme_scrubber_progress_horizontal_holo_light&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:indeterminateDrawable"&gt;@drawable/apptheme_scrubber_progress_horizontal_holo_light&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:thumb"&gt;@drawable/apptheme_scrubber_control_selector_holo_light&lt;/item&gt;
  &lt;/style&gt;
  &lt;style name="RatingBarAppTheme" parent="android:Widget.Holo.Light.RatingBar"&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:progressDrawable"&gt;@drawable/apptheme_ratingbar_full_holo_light&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:indeterminateDrawable"&gt;@drawable/apptheme_ratingbar_full_holo_light&lt;/item&gt;
  &lt;/style&gt;
  &lt;style name="RatingBarBigAppTheme" parent="android:Widget.Holo.Light.RatingBar.Indicator"&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:progressDrawable"&gt;@drawable/apptheme_ratingbar_holo_light&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:indeterminateDrawable"&gt;@drawable/apptheme_ratingbar_holo_light&lt;/item&gt;
  &lt;/style&gt;
  &lt;style name="RatingBarSmallAppTheme" parent="android:Widget.Holo.Light.RatingBar.Small"&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:progressDrawable"&gt;@drawable/apptheme_ratingbar_small_holo_light&lt;/item&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:indeterminateDrawable"&gt;@drawable/apptheme_ratingbar_small_holo_light&lt;/item&gt;
  &lt;/style&gt;
  &lt;style name="ToggleAppTheme" parent="android:Widget.Holo.Light.Button.Toggle"&gt;
      &lt;item name="android:background"&gt;@drawable/apptheme_btn_toggle_holo_light&lt;/item&gt;
  &lt;/style&gt;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p></p>
  
  <p>I would be very thankful to you for any help.</p>