Experiences of Foundational Black American Male Faculty in Academia: A Qualitative Black Critical Phenomenology Study

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Sunday 1:45 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Agency, Resilience, and Motivation: Strategic Responses to Barriers in Education

Abstract

This qualitative Black critical phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of Foundational Black American (FBA) male faculty during recruitment and tenure at Midwestern predominantly White institutions (PWIs). Guided by Black Critical Theory and Black American Racial Identity frameworks, insights from current and former FBA faculty revealed nuanced expressions of anti-Black racism and anti-Black misandry embedded within institutional processes. Participants—recruited from a community college and a public university—identified systemic barriers during recruitment and tenure, emphasizing the empowering role of FBA lineage pride in their resilience. Phenomenological Thematic Analysis (PTA) illuminated consistent patterns of exclusion and discrimination. The findings highlighted the need to reassess institutional policies to address anti-Black racism and foster equality for FBA male faculty.

Authors

• Mustafaa Muhamed, Jackson College

• Belle B. Booker-Zorigian, National University