Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) represent only 3% of American postsecondary institutions, yet they enroll 14% and graduate 28% of all African-American undergraduate students. HBCUs are necessary and vital in addressing racial inequities and disparities, and they play a crucial role in preparing students to handle racist…

Booker T. Washington, a founding father of African American education in the United States, has long been studied, revered, and reviled by scholars and students. Born into slavery, freed and raised in the Reconstruction South, and active in educational reform through the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Washington sought to use…

Which colleges and universities graduate the most Black students with bachelor's degrees who then make it through medical school and become doctors? Two historically Black schools lead the pack. Xavier University continues to dominate, with 60 of its alumni graduating from medical schools around the country last year. Howard University is next,…

Throughout many ethnic communities, culture, place, and education have always been important to each other. There are countless creative strategies and approaches to education, inclusion, and personal development that can be derived from studying cultural spaces within any culture. In this article, the author looks specifically at the African…

Race and racism are topics typically silenced, muted, or reframed toward a discussion of color blindness. In 2008, the historic election of the nation's first African American president prompted increased proclamations that the nation had "moved past race." In the moments immediately after the major networks called the 2008 presidential…

The adoption of educational policy measures to close the achievement gap, as well as the significant amount of scholarship dedicated to the subject, are just some of the indicators that reflect the tremendous concern in education about the academic performance of students of colour. Within research aimed at promoting equitable practices in…

This qualitative study explored the perceptions of 10 African American women concerning their thoughts and beliefs about the intangible cost(s) and/or benefit(s) of a post-baccalaureate education and/or professional career choices. The narratives told by the participants, revealed nothing new when it came to childhood dreams. It is not uncommon…

Ruth Simmons made a big news splash a decade ago when she was named president of Brown University, making her the first Black president of an Ivy League institution. She made another splash three years later by naming a committee to investigate Brown's role in the slave trade and make recommendations on possible reparations. Reflecting on her…

The literature on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is abounding with the importance of increasing college access, retention, and persistence among students because of implications for America's global competitiveness. Particular emphasis has been placed on college students of color who remain underrepresented in STEM…

This study examines the ways single Black mothers contribute to the educational success of their 11th-grade sons, despite the fact that their sons are enrolled in "failing schools." Data from five interviews and one focus group reveal common characteristics of how single-Black mothers help their sons beat the odds.

There is a long history indicating that during times of reform, the interests and needs of Black children are in many ways dismissed. This history culminated in 1990's to what is described today as the "Math Wars." The underlying narrative focuses on America's national security, technological interests, social efficiency, and…

Several theories suggest that African American culture facilitates academic achievement, but others suggest that identifying with Black culture contributes to the achievement gap by undermining the academic performance among youth. These opposing perspectives are labeled "cultural compatibility theories" and "cultural incompatibility theories,"…

Standard setting (the process of establishing minimum passing scores on high-stakes exams) is a highly evaluative and policy-driven process. It is a common belief that standard setting panels should be diverse and representative. There is concern, however, that panelists with varying characteristics may differentially influence the results of the…

Even on the sixth anniversary of the hurricane that buckled the Crescent City in 2005, left much of Xavier University of New Orleans under water and its faculty and students scattered by the rushing winds, Dr. JW Carmichael did not expect to be talking that morning about Katrina. For him it was a horrific storm that nearly drowned a hundred dreams…

The following is a discussion on student level of academic achievement, specifically that of African American learners. The misdiagnosis of Black students having learning disabilities and other disabilities will be examined, and the factors as to why this misdiagnosis occurs so often. Research will be provided as evidence to support this claim, as…