Black women remain underrepresented in higher education leadership roles, especially in the college presidency. Since the middle of the 20th century, women have emerged as leaders throughout every field of human endeavor; however, their rise to the college presidency remains slow and steady. The number of women college presidents has increased…

Despite the rising number of African American community college women executives that have joined the ranks in higher education, understandings factors that impact their career advancement is inadequate. Consistent case studies that examined the perception of African American women leaders in community colleges are limited. The purpose of this…

Black community college presidents are not exempt from racialized experiences as they promote equitable student success. This study explores the unique experiences of Black leaders who advocate for policies, practices, and procedures that promote equity and social justice at their institutions and in their communities. Together, applied critical…

My dissertation is unique and contributes to the academic literature because it explores the barriers that retired and current African American women face while pursuing and working in higher education leadership roles in Arkansas. Using a narrative inquiry design, I interviewed 17 retired and working leaders by asking them to share their personal…

The purpose of this qualitative, descriptive study was to explore how African American principals describe how they establish personal, interpersonal, communal, systemic, and ecological practices for social justice in schools in the southeastern region of the United States. Furman's social justice leadership as praxis model, centers on three…

The problem that was addressed through this study is the underrepresentation of African American women in higher education leadership positions in the United States. The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore to what extent mentorship predicts the career advancement of African American women in higher education leadership positions in…

Structured from a qualitative research design, this meta-synthesis explored the lived experiences and perceptions women of color hold regarding their leadership within higher education. The purpose of the study was to generate understanding of said experiences and examine women of color leadership persistence within higher education, especially…

Despite an increasingly diverse student population across the United States, the alarming decrease in minority K-12 school administrators (Taie et al., 2022) demands immediate attention. This qualitative study aims to understand the experiences of three different African American school administrators, extracting insights and implications that can…

Black women make-up a large percentage of the workforce in higher education, specifically in administrative roles. Yet, while they enter higher education workspaces starting at entry-level and mid-manager positions, their numbers diminish significantly at executive levels. This imbalance between Black, female administrators in…

In this qualitative study, the process followed by ten African-American Women to achieve success in higher education leadership was explored. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach, the strategies used by these women can serve as a guide for other culturally diverse women who aspire to leadership roles in higher education administration or…

African American women's transformation into leadership positions in higher education has been a challenge. The negotiation of gender, race, and equality have complicated how women lead in educational institutions. In the reconstruction of leadership roles, males have been the dominant ones as observed through promotions, salary increases, and job…

In 2020, the United States experienced twin pandemics disproportionately impacting BIPOC communities and their schools and school systems--one new, COVID-19, and one longstanding, that of white supremacy and anti-Black racism. This phenomenological study of 20 Black female principals in two states provides insights into how these leaders, who so…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how African American female principals describe their experiences of opportunities, challenges, and support with a focus on the intersectionality of race and gender in the Southwestern United States. The underrepresentation of African American female principals necessitated this…

This case describes how, after being hired by a large urban school district in the southern United States, a Black male superintendent's relationship with his stakeholders deteriorated due to disagreements about his equity-based leadership approach. Three incidents occurred during his tenure, which he believed to be racially motivated. Yet, the…

Representations of Black leaders in the provost position are few, which speaks to historic views on Black intellectualism, barriers to administrative service, and a lack of professional networks and mentors. In this essay, Russell S. Thacker and Sydney Freeman Jr. examine the lived experiences of thirteen current and former Black provosts at…