In this Voices: Reflective Accounts of Education essay, the author delves into the intersection of race, gender, and education, exploring the experiences and challenges faced by Black women leaders and daughters in the Academy. This piece emerges from the author's research and lived experiences. The breadth and depth of a little-addressed…

The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences of Black/ African American women aspiring, serving, or having previously served in the role of Superintendent of Schools in the State of Texas. Additionally, the study investigated the perceived barriers and challenges that impacted the participant's ascent to the superintendency, and…

The intersectional identities of African American women leaders come with challenges and obstacles that few thoroughly comprehend. This phenomenological study sought to understand the impact of intersectionality on the leadership styles and journey of African American women in K-12 district leadership. Historically, leadership literature…

African American women in higher education have faced challenges as they have sought to advance to a senior-level position. The literature demonstrates that African American woman has been confronted with racial bias. African American women have been described as too emotional to hold positions of authority or senior-level positions. Some…

Black women experience the world from a more unique perspective than their counterparts, especially as educational leaders at colleges and universities. By exploring the authentic experiences of Black female educational leaders at insituttions of higher education, we understand how their identities shape their leadership practices and interactions…

In the U.S. public educational system, the superintendent role is crucial for shaping student outcomes, yet it is predominantly occupied by White males (73%), with African American females making up less than 1% of these positions. Historical research on superintendents often overlooked gender and racial diversity, contributing to the…

Black female aspiring principals faced significant obstacles as they ascended to the principalship. This study chronicled the uncovering of the most common obstacles to representation, highlighting the importance of the findings. The problem explored in the research study was the underrepresentation of Black women as principals. The purpose of…

The purpose of this study was to develop a real-world understanding of both the challenges and achievements of Black women leaders--in their own words and from their unique perspectives as individuals and as a particular demographic based on race and gender. Sharing stories of past experiences, studying and analyzing those stories, and making…

Historically, Black women have been excluded from higher education based on race and gender. Moreover, Black women face multiple barriers that stem from the impact of intersectionality, which has led to the underrepresentation of Black women in senior-level administrative positions within institutions of higher education. Although the experiences…

"Plantation politics" refers to the lingering impact of slavery's afterlife or how vestiges of enslavement permeate contemporary culture, including institutions of higher education (IHEs; Hartman, 2008; Squire et al., 2018; Williams et al., 2021). For Black women administrators (admins), the enduring legacy of caretaking, bodily control,…

This research is necessitated as Black women continue to face unique and significant challenges in educational leadership. Supported by Black Feminist Theory, this study explores the successful leadership pathways of Black women in medical higher education while navigating barriers. The goal is to promote the inclusion of Black women in medical…

In most higher education institutions, White men and women have dominated senior academic positions and are viewed as more capable of serving as senior administrators than women of color. In comparison, the number of women of color leaders in predominantly White institutions is lower than in historically Black colleges and universities. For…

This qualitative research paper investigated the intersection of the COVID-19 pandemic and the year 2020 in sparking a phenomenon of hiring chief diversity officers (CDOs) in higher education. By exploring the interplay between the pandemic, racial justice movements, evolving higher education landscape, and institutional accountability, this study…

Historically, there remains an underrepresentation of Black women in and en route to the highest levels of organisational leadership. The divide is all the more pronounced in the field of education, one in which women represent a large share of the community. Particularly relevant for Black women is the incongruence between their heightened…

The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to examine how mentoring support systems, race and gender intersectional challenges shape the pathway for five African-American women principals in a South Texas urban school district. The researcher used a semi-structured interview question protocol, audio-recorded, and professionally transcribed…