High-Achieving African American Males, Masculinity, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities

• In Event: 32.036 - Minority-Serving Institutions and Student Success

Abstract

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have been credited for providing nurturing and culturally affirming environments for its students. Using Harris’ (2010) model of the meanings college men ascribe to masculinities as the conceptual framework, the purpose of this phenomenological case study was to explore the extent to which HBCUs promote academic achievement and positive self-identity among high-achieving African American males. Drawing a larger qualitative study, findings from interviews with twenty-two African American male alumni from eleven institutions indicate that early experiences negotiating negative stereotypes not only shaped their college choice decision to attend HBCUs, but also motivated them to persist to graduation.

Author

• Jennifer Michelle Johnson, Temple University