It Can Happen: African American Females’ Successful Attainment of Tenure and Promotion at Predominately White Institutions

• In Event: Women in Academe

Abstract

Throughout American history, African American women have overcome societal barriers and threats to their well-being such as—slavery, rape, segregation, poverty, racism, and sexism (Lerner, 1992). Still today, within the context of academe, African American women in their pursuit of tenure and promotion continue to prevail over adversities in the form of ridicule, marginalization, lack of information, alienation, and isolation (Bowie, 1995; Edward et al. 2011; Gregory, 2002; Griffin, 2012; Herbert, 2012; Hinton, 2010). In this phenomenological study, the lived experiences of five African American female professors who successfully navigated the tenure and promotion process at predominantly White institutions are presented. Thematic findings and research implications are also discussed ideally to give hope to those women pursuing tenure.

Authors

• Brandolyn Jones, Sam Houston State University

• Eunjin Hwang, Sam Houston State University

• Rebecca McBride Bustamante, Sam Houston State University