Black Women Superintendents: The Demographic Imperative of Firsts and Onlys

• In Event: 28.079 - Paper Session: The World of the Superintendent

Abstract

The ascension of Black women to the superintendency remains a significant feat, considering the history of gendered and racial oppression in the United States, and thus, these women continue to be the “first” and/or “only” in their particular position or school district. Given the paradox of race in US education, the implementation of the 1954 Supreme Court decision, Brown v. Board of Education which led to school desegregation serves as a precursor for the underrepresentation of Black superintendents and the phenomena of “firsts and onlys” regarding Black women superintendents. As of the time of this writing, the exact number of Black women serving as superintendents or an equivalent position as the head of her respective school.

Author

• Dessynie Edwards, Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi