The purpose of my study is to investigate, through in-depth phenomenological interviews, the methods or strategies African American artists have employed to either: (1) survive in a Eurocentrically biased art world; (2) combat a Eurocentrically biased art world; or (3) challenge or change a Eurocentrically biased art world. The methods these artists use to survive, combat, or attempt to change the art establishment affects what we see as observers of the artist's visual expressions. The same methods also give us clues to how African American artists survive in contemporary society. The nine artist participants were Lois Mailou Jones, Calvin Burnett, Richard Yarde, Kofi Kayiga, Cheryl Warrick, Nelson Stevens, Paul Goodnight, Michael Borders, Shirley Whitaker. Each interview was conducted in three parts, with each session lasting at least 90 minutes. Part I focused on the past experiences of the participants. This could involve childhood experiences as well as those relating to their artistic training. Part II concentrated on present experiences, what is it like to be an African American artist in the northeastern United States in the 1990s. Also, how these artists go about finding exhibition opportunities, how their work has been received, and in their opinion why. Part III centered on meaning, what the participant's experiences as an African American artist, communicator, and individual mean to them. The interviews were audio tape-recorded and later transcribed and analyzed. It is the written transcript that formed the foundation of the participants' profiles. The artist profiles have made it clear that these artists do indeed reflect a microcosm of African American society, with all its biases, dreams and aspirations. The study has reaffirmed that a given racial group can have a common goal, but the means to achieve that goal can be viewed with all the variations of hues that make up the African American community. When the concept is understood, that we are all individuals, categorization by race or sex seems quite an inadequate means for understanding who African American artists are as people or as image makers. These artists are a mirror of society in general, and their art is a catalyst for the discussion of larger issues that affect the entire African American community.

<p> Contrary to the rhetoric around a post-racial United States, Black male students are not experiencing equitable outcomes in higher education. Community colleges are a critical access point to higher education for Black males; however, they are not graduating, transferring, or entering the workforce at an acceptable pace. The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore Black male students&rsquo; perceptions of their community college experience. The Five Domains Conceptual Model is a holistic framework utilized to address inequitable outcomes for Black males in community colleges. A constructivist approach to this qualitative inquiry reveals unique strengths and challenges of 17 Black male students as they navigate the community college environment for success. Findings from this study illuminate the importance of human agency (e.g., background factors, self-efficacy, and aspirations) coupled with institutional responsibility (e.g., faculty engagement, campus climate, and campus resources) to improve academic outcomes for this disproportionately impacted student group. Recommendations for addressing inequitable outcomes for Black male students include policy to sustain funding for Black Male Initiatives, equity-minded practices for faculty hiring and professional development, and future research that extends this inquiry to other marginalized student populations. </p><p>

<p> After the largest one-time release of federal prisoners in October 2015, community colleges were charged with retooling and preparing individuals for careers. Community colleges were designed to provide individuals an entryway into higher education. Formerly incarcerated Black males seek community colleges to assist in transitioning into their communities, society, and family life. Community colleges are a good place to provide these transitional and academic resources. </p><p> This qualitative study explored the shared experiences of 16 formerly incarcerated Black male students attending 3 California community colleges. The study provided a better understanding of their background, experience while in college, and their desire to complete college. Utilizing the Strayhorn and Johnson&rsquo;s Community College Satisfaction Model as the conceptual framework, this dissertation study examined their (a) background traits <i> At Entry</i> of college, (b) Student engagement <i>Within</i> the college, and (c) overall satisfaction with the <i>Outcomes</i> of college. </p><p> The study used a phenomenological approach through qualitative interviews to capture the resources needed for formerly incarcerated Black male students who attended college in urban South Los Angeles, California. The interview questions were aligned with the research question, sub-questions and conceptual framework. Findings revealed 7 themes: Social Environment, Prison Industrial Complex, Perceptions of Education, Campus life, Aspirations, Activating Student Support, and Mentoring. Drawing from Yosso&rsquo;s Community Cultural Wealth, the study revealed participants had aspirations and used their social capital. </p><p> Findings indicate that they experienced some type of trauma and that faculty and student support services staff were key support in their community college experience. Further their experiences in prison affected their community college experience in these ways: hindered their social adaptation and maturation, prevented them from obtaining life skills, and blocked their educational attainment and continued stereotypes and stigmas. Programs like Umoja, Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS), Disabled Student Programs and Services (DSPS) and Formerly Incarcerated Student clubs were instrumental to student persistence. </p><p>

The purpose of this research project is to expand Harter and Pike's Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance to include physical and cognitive competencies that are specific to African American children. Two pictorial tests were administered to a group of African American preschoolers (n = 30) (Harter and Pike's Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance and Boykin and Allen Revised Afro-cultural dimensions). Observations of seven of the children during structured and unstructured periods of the day were formulated into mini case studies of “acting up” or “acting out behavior” (Boykin's 1992 Prescriptive Pedagogy for African American children). Parent interviews explored African American child-rearing practices. Teacher questionnaires provided teacher perspective on children's physical and cognitive competencies. The results of the study suggest that Harter and Pike's Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance Scale can be combined with the Boykin and Allen Revised Scale to create a culturally appropriate scale. Mean and standard deviations in both instruments indicate that children in this study feel competent. The subscales attained adequate reliability using Cronbach's alpha level .79. Multiple regression findings reveal spirituality as the significant predictor strongly correlated on the cognitive subscale (Harter & Pike). The spirituality and movement expression subscales from the Boykin and Allen Revised Scale were moderately correlated with the physical subscale from Harter and Pike. The teacher/child correlations showed weak agreement between tested behavior of children and teachers assessment of children's cognitive development. The physical domain from Harter and Pike showed agreement between tested behavior and teachers assessment. The seven mini-cases showed four steps of teacher interventions in “acting up” or “acting out” behaviors in young children: verbal and or physical guidance, ignoring inappropriate behavior, time out, and removal of child to another classroom for part of the day. Movement expression, verve, communalism, and spirituality are concepts to include when assessing African-American children's competence development.

The focus of my dissertation deals with ways that early identification and preventative measures can reduce the high number of African American students who do not fare well in school. The goal of this study was to explore ways to enhance the cognitive and social development of low ability African American kindergartners. It was an attempt to investigate how certain strategies and practices can reduce the rate of failure in the upper primary grades. The proposed investigation involved five case study participants with four cross case study participants. The research design also involved the use of qualitative and quantitative paradigms in the form of participant observations, survey interviews and student assessments. An individualized curriculum was developed for each case subject during this investigation, that was designed to address their academic and social needs. Varied methods of instruction such as one to one instruction, heterogeneous grouping, whole language and integrated learning were used during this investigation. Parent involvement strategies were also developed during this investigation to facilitate information and to disseminate materials as part of a home based learning program (which supplements the subject's individualized curriculum). Parent surveys and regular home-school collaborations have occurred as part of this procedure.

This study was designed to investigate factors involved in the initial employment of African-American graduating seniors at a predominantly white university. More specifically, this study focused on examining the job activities which contributed to African-American seniors securing entry-level professional positions and the role played by the Mather Career Center in the job search of graduating seniors. Questionnaires were sent to the graduating seniors of the Class of 1992. From the ninety seven respondents, a subset of twenty four were selected for indepth interviews. Theses interviews provided the primary data for the study. Data was obtained by the use of two instruments. A survey was constructed using a Likert-type scale combined with open and closed form questions to assess how many job-seeking activities the seniors participated in at the Mather Career Center. One thousand questionnaires were distributed; ninety-seven were returned completed. The questionnaire included four categories: Self-Development and Marketing Skills, Networking System, Career Planning and Placement, and Post-Placement Information. Sixteen questions focusing on the individual experiences of twenty four African-American and white graduating seniors were used to determine those factors that may have been involved in securing an entry-level professional position. The findings of this study revealed that several factors are a consideration for sampled African-American graduating seniors in their job search activities: networking with relatives and other support systems, lack of support from faculty, focus on race and ethnicity, heavy course and workloads, and spirituality. A significant difference was found between African-American participants and white participants in the amount of hours worked during their college careers. One important finding is that, while 66.6% of the African-American graduating seniors of this study did take advantage of the Mather Career Center, most relied upon external resources outside of the University, such as their support systems to assist with actual employment. The study suggests that there must be a collaborative effort among faculty, administrators, students, parents and the private and public sectors to facilitate a smoother transition for graduates in becoming future professionals.

The problem examined in this research is that South Africa practices a system of education that sorts people in a way that makes Blacks receive unequal and separate education. The closer people are to the white power structure, the better their education and the farther away they are, the poorer their access to opportunities for a quality education on equal terms. In other words, it seems that the more white you are, the more opportunities and benefits you receive. This system of education does not appear to help students, especially black children and youth, learn at high levels of accomplishment. Rather, it creates long lasting problems in people's lives and as such may need to be restructured in a way that permits students of all backgrounds to receive a quality education on equal terms. The purpose of the study was to understand reasons selected black South Africans seem to oppose their education system. More specifically, perceptions of these black people were helpful in suggesting the directions in which educational reform in South Africa ought to go. Specifically, the study was guided by two major research questions: (1) What are the perceptions selected black South African adults in the United States have toward their experiences in the apartheid education system in South Africa? (2) What are the recommendations of selected black South African adults in the United States for improving the education system for children and youth in South Africa? To answer these questions, interviews were used to collect data. Seven black South African adults were interviewed and their responses were analyzed, organized and thematically presented. One finding of the study is that apartheid education seems responsible for making respondents feel inadequate, incapable, less human, unable to think critically, inferior, anxious to venture in life beyond school, helpless, uneasy, and dubious to participate in class related activities. The findings of the study show that the education of black people in South Africa deserves speedy attention and major reform. The study concludes that apartheid education is an intolerable system of education that should be eliminated. The form of education to be created is a matter for intense discussion and wise decision making which may lead to quality education for all South Africans. The study recommends that black people should understand their historical underpinnings to help restore their confidence, to dispel negative fabrications, and to become contributors in the development of quality education in South Africa.

The purpose of this study was to examine the external barriers that limit or impede the occupational achievements of professional Black women working in predominately White organizations. The basic tenet of the study looked at the impact of the beliefs and attitudes of the larger society and how these beliefs manifest themselves in organizations and act as determinants in the equitable distribution of resources in terms of recruitment, selection and promotions for Black women. Two research questions were developed which provided the design of the study. A set of 15 interview questions was asked of 15 professional Black women working in five major work categories, i.e., education, health care, media, and public and private industries. Responses were examined within the concept of InGroup/OutGroup. The frequency of response to the interview questions concentrated themselves in ten areas. The findings revealed exclusionary treatment in the form of discriminatory practices in the workplace. Implications of these findings for future research are also discussed.

This study examines the effect of student peer interactions on students' educational outcomes. It presents African-heritage students' perceptions of their interactions at a predominantly White institution of higher education (PWI) and how these interactions affect their academic persistence. The study focuses on intraethnic and interethnic student-peer interactions in the university environment. Concern about attrition rates and retention of students of African descent requires that educators and administrators take actions to facilitate the development and academic success of these students. Traditional student development models, often based on a Eurocentric world view, have often failed to adequately address the needs of this student population. Social functioning and social adjustment are critical to African-heritage students' development. Sociocultural involvement is an inherent aspect of African-heritage characteristics, which include music and dance and collective cooperation. In this study, these relevant sociocultural issues, including a common experience of oppression, are examined as they relate to African-heritage students' interpersonal interactions, social adjustment, academic persistence and development. The social functioning of African-heritage students is identified and represented in five proposed modes of social adjustment, (1) alienation/isolation, (2) assimilation/acculturation, (3) biculturality, (4) Africentricity and (5) cultural relativism/pluralism, These modes of adjustment may also be considered ways in which Black students cope with and respond to various situations while interacting in the PWI environment. This study utilizes a triangulation research design that includes qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. Focus group interviews are the primary data collection method. The focus group interview process included spoken dialogue and written responses to focused questions and is complemented with additional individual written responses. This process is triangulated with quantitative methods of demographic survey and a Likert scale questionnaire. Participants are students of African descent at a four-year public university in New England. These Black students relate important behavioral strategies used to interact in, adjust to and persist at the PWI.

The research and analysis of Capitalism, The Reproduction of Racial Difference in American Education, and Black Student Resistance comes from my experiences working for a dropout prevention nonprofit organization in Title 1 public schools with Black middle school and high school students. I observed many conflicts between Black students and school staff that were resolved by convincing students that the cultural norms and rules of the school system were objective and morally right, and therefore Black students needed to accept and obey them. From these interactions, I could see that more than academic skills were being taught in schools. The messages of success being proposed were exerting violence on the mind, body, and spirit of Black youth. I could also see that many of the ways that Black students expressed themselves in schools was not rooted in defiance or an inability to obey but in protest to the socialization that was being imposed on them. My observations of Black students reactions to school culture and the insistence on achievement has fueled my work.