Comic book characters (CBCs) provide an escapism from reality while still confronting real issues. However, for Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) there is a lack of characters that look, talk, and think like them. Black Panther is an example of a character more inclusive of BIPOC populations, especially Black males. What…

The focus of the study was to understand how African American men who achieved leadership positions in Power 5 NCAA Division I schools constructed their stories about the influence and benefits of role models in their career pursuits. Semistructured interviews were used to gather in-depth information from five to 15 African Americans in athletic…

This phenomenological research study explored the perceptions and lived experiences of African-American male in roles of educational leadership. The study was guided by four research questions. The data was collected from 10 African-American males in roles of educational leadership. Data collection occurred through participants' interviews, which…

Although African Americans report the lowest graduation rates in the United States--approximately 35% at undergraduate level--the rate is lower for African American males (30%) than African American females (37%). The performance of African American males in higher education is influenced by faculty role models and faculty expectations of their…

African American women are not retained or advanced in the community college system, resulting in an underrepresentation of African American women in administrative decision-making roles. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to examine the experiences of African American female leaders in the community college setting and to explore the…

Two movies about Black protest movement leaders in the 1960s are playing on home screens during African American History Month during the COVID-19 pandemic. The movies are made by African American moviemakers and are focused on Black protest movements. One Night in Miami and Judas and the Black Messiah present the lives and activities of Black…

In this study, 23 African American broadcast journalists, who graduated from college between 1994 and 2014, were interviewed about their experiences working in network television news, specifically the role their mentor played to help their professional success. Mentors largely provided both vocational and psychosocial support, but were…

While there are low percentages of Black males as educators, psychologists, pediatricians, and psychiatrists, Black students are more likely to have a Black male athletic coach. Previous research on the role of Black male coaches has demonstrated that there are several positive outcomes (i.e., academics, social skills, and reducing misbehaviors to…

The historical context of education in the United States reveals a consistent failure by American schooling to effectively educate Black boys. Multiple indicators of how Black male students are underserved have necessitated interventions to reverse decades of adverse outcomes. The single-gender school design became one such intervention dedicated…

The outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 disrupted the lives of people on all fronts, but especially the traditional education system. Now dependent on online learning during a global pandemic, political unrest, and a contentious presidential election, many school educators were forced to transition to virtual instruction amid the ongoing health crises…

Drawing on calls to diversify the teacher workforce, this paper demonstrates the need for a commitment to diversity and equity in recruiting Black women into the recruiting practices of educational organizations. Three approaches by which educational organizations incorporate diversity and equity into their recruiting practices are organized in a…

The U.S. high school dropout rate continues to decline. Possible reasons for this decline include stronger academic standards, persistent state and district actions, and implementation of programs to help disconnected youth reconnect to educational opportunities. In the current study, we propose a complementary hypothesis for rate improvements:…

In this article, I advocate for critical environmental education that is responsive to power inequities and use standpoint theory to help explain why environmental education has been slow to become race-conscious/responsive. Standpoint theory provides theoretical support for the multiplicity of stories and views surrounding the environment and…

In the United States, African-American men are dominant in the entertainment industry mainly in sports and music. However, their success in entertainment does not translate to education. Many Black men grow up not having a positive experience in education, thus they do not see its value. However, many see the value in striving after a false sense…

The recent reckoning with racial injustice that has occurred across the United States offers an ideal opportunity for state leaders and universities to address the lack of diversity among college faculty and increase their commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion. This report offers four recommendations for increasing faculty diversity based…