Just Another Brother Trying to Make It: Negotiating Stereotypes While Living and Learning

• In Event: 25.084 - MTCC Roundtable Session Seven
  In Roundtable Session: 25.084-1 - Black Students Matter: Scholarly Perspectives on Black Student Achievement and Persistence

Abstract

This paper discusses data from an ethnographic study that examined how a group of 10th grade Black males understand the impact of stereotypes on their daily lives. Results from the study revealed two important themes; they include the participants’ understanding of how negative media images impact perceptions of Black males and how Black male bodies are criminalized in the context of American society. While all of the students were able to articulate how negative media images impact their lives, they resisted the unflattering stereotypes they daily face. The results of this study offer important insights for educators who are committed to improving educational outcomes for Black male students.

Author

• Travis J. Albritton, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill