The hegemonic Eurocentric culture that dominates the United States accultures African American men into an ideal of Manhood that is antithetical to their being. “Man-Up” an emotional deflective and dominating command, has been a bedrock of African American dislocation to their journey towards Manhood. By returning to an African epistemology and culture rooted in the search for Ma’at, African men throughout the diaspora and within the United States can recover a humane and culturally dislocated definition of Manhood that works in concert with their women, environment, and the cosmological order. This dissertation examines the standard of Manhood in Kemet; whether African American men have sought Ma’at in their description of Manhood; and finally, explores how the Maatian standard of Manhood may reorient African American men into a cultural norm that harmonizes families, communities, and ecologies. There is no overarching question for this work. Still, one central focus is to liberate African men from colonizing cultural models of Manhood and reorient them with an African cultural idea founded on the principle of Ma’at. / Africology and African American Studies

Aunts are constantly perceived as extended family members designated to support the nuclear family according to western familial traditions. Previous research has consistently relied on said traditions for studying Aunts within different cultures. Consequently, this hegemonic ethnography has not only hindered the ability of Aunts to be examined through other cultural perspectives, but it actively reinforces their role as universal, assuming everyone adheres to western family structures. This study will utilize data from TikTok in identifying and examining the social role of Black Aunts in the African American community through Afrocentricity and Africana Womanism. Contrary to the initial research, Black aunts’ responsibilities stem from West African traditions. My findings will indicate that Black aunts serve multiple roles within their communities necessary for survival, entertainment, cultural memory, and aid / Africology and African American Studies

Literature indicates that while attending a predominantly White institution (PWI), Black men often experience stigmatization and feelings of alienation. Despite concerns of racial tension experienced by Black men at PWIs there is limited research exploring the campus climate perceptions of Black men in college. While Black students may have some similarities in navigating predominantly White campuses, there are relevant differences influenced by the intersection of race and gender. The post-secondary success of Black men has been identified as an area of concern in higher education due to the considerable disparities seen in college persistence and completion rates. However, discourse often focuses on perceived deficits of Black men in college instead of understanding how institutions can better support their success. There is a need to shift the conversation to explore how institutional climate plays a role in the experiences and outcomes of Black men. Research suggests that developing a sense of belonging is influenced by context and environment and can be challenging, but impactful for Black men. The current study seeks to understand the role that perceived campus climate plays in the development of sense of belonging for Black undergraduate men attending a PWI. The guiding research questions were: (1) What are the perceptions of campus climate for undergraduate Black men who attend a predominantly White institution? (2) How does the intersection of racial and gender identity influence the campus climate perceptions of undergraduate Black men? (3) How do the perceptions of campus climate influence the sense of belonging for undergraduate Black men? This qualitative study used various data collection methods including interviews, photovoice, and focus groups to gain an in-depth understanding of participants perceptions and experiences. Using an interpretative phenomenological approach, this analysis offers insights and makes meaning of 12 Black men’s lived experiences and perceptions of their campus belonging while attending a PWI. Eight themes emerged in response to the study research questions. The findings suggest that the campus climate perceptions of Black men are related to the intersection of their race and gender. Additionally, there were salient factors of campus climate that influenced the sense of belonging for participants in the study such as the absence/presence of Black peers and faculty/staff and supportive spaces of cultural familiarity. The findings of this study could have great implications for the future success of Black men as higher education institutions are confronted with declining enrollment and continued disparities in college persistence and graduation rates for their Black male students. / Educational Administration

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