Looking at the Residuals: A Qualitative Analysis of Black Women's Collegiate Expectations Versus Their Realities

• In Event: Critical Race Theory

Abstract

This research examines the role of gendered racism as a contributing factor in first-year, Black undergraduate women’s college-going experiences. Using Black Feminist Thought (BFT) and Critical Race Theory (CRT), the present research explores (1) to what extent does social factors and systemic oppression contribute to how Black women decide to attend a selective, traditionally white institution, (2) their perceptions of their choice post-matriculation, and (3) whether the institutional context contributes to the (in)congruence between Black women’s pre-college expectations and collegiate realities. Through utilizing interview data, the counternarratives of 9 Black women illustrate how institutions use racial diversity to allure prospective applicants and the challenges Black undergraduate women face with faculty, peers, and campus-based affinity groups upon entering the university.

Author

• Channel McLewis, University of California - Los Angeles