This thesis investigated the migration experiences and subjectivity of belonging of Members of the African American Association of Ghana (AAAG) in obtaining permanent status in Ghana. An estimated three thousand African Americans are living in Ghana (Brown, 2013). Fieldwork was conducted primarily in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana with sixteen Research Participants, including members of AAAG and the African American community at large. Life history interviews were conducted utilizing a twenty-one question instrument that guided the data collection. Participant observation and autoethnography was unique to this study as the Researcher himself; an African American, spent two years living in Ghana prior to submitting this thesis. This thesis offers new data and experiences to the ideas surrounding a “return” migration of the descendants of victims of the Transatlantic Slave Trade to Ghana. Attention was given to the experiences of African Americans being referred to by Ghanaians as obruni, which effectively means “white man and/or foreigner” and what impact, if any, it had on my Research Participants. Necessarily, issues of identity, nationhood, race as well as religion/spirituality was explored with this thesis. Pierre Bourdieu’s cultural capital theory was utilized in looking at the interconnections of cultural capital between my Research Participants and what he describes as the embodied state, objectified state and the institutionalized state (Bourdieu, 1986). The results of this thesis are that the experiences of the Research Participants varied regarding the pursuit of permanent status in Ghana. Moreover, the use of the word obruni had various levels of interpretation and use that were expressed.

The purpose of this study was to explore current African American fathers' experiences with being fathered, and to understand how those definitions, perceptions, and experiences of fatherhood impacted their involvement in the lives of their own children. In-depth individual interviews were conducted in Detroit, Michigan with 10 African American fathers ranging in age from 22 to 25. Ecological systems theory and identity theory served as the theoretical framework for the study. Member checking, detailed descriptions, and audit trails were used to establish trustworthiness of the data. The findings of the study showed that father involvement was directly related to or affected by being fathered. The participants' desires or abilities to be active and involved fathers with their own children were not contingent on whether their own fathers were active in their lives. The participants expressed specific ideas about what being a father means to them, the importance of the role, how they enact the role, and the impact of their role on their children. Drawing on their own experiences, both positive and negative, participants expressed an unwavering level of commitment to their role and children. The themes that emerged from the interviews included: presence, responsibility, fatherhood as a priority, acceptance, and reciprocal relationships. The participants did not equate being a father with providing financial support, but placed significant emphasis on meeting the emotional and psychological needs of their children. The need for continued exploration of father involvement among young African American fathers is necessary in order for the development of comprehensive, research-based programs to provide support for and benefit to both fathers and their children.

The lived experiences of African American lesbians who attended historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) have not received sufficient empirical attention; therefore, this study was conducted to understand and describe their experiences. The study followed a qualitative phenomenological approach. The multidimensional identity model, developed by Reyolds and Pope, was used as the framework through which to understand the participants' experiences. Semistructured, 40 to 60-minute interviews were conducted with 6 women who identified as African American lesbians and attended HBCUs. Initial hand and subsequent NVivo coding of interview data led to the development of the following 7 themes: (a) either African American women or African American lesbian, (b) fear of rejection, (c) chosen kin, (d) no benefit of being an African American lesbian at an HBCU, (e) love for the African American community, (f) women who love women, and (g) the road not taken. The findings suggest African American lesbians often shift between identities, depending on the situation or setting. The results of the study provide suggestions for counselors and counselor educators who will be able to increase their understanding of the unique needs of individuals who identify with at least 3 marginalized communities. African American lesbians who attend HBCUs may benefit from this inquiry as HBCUs can use the information in this study to help create and sustain a more inclusive campus environment. Additional implications for social change and future research are included at the end of the study.

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Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Twice as many African American infants die each year when compared to white infants. While infant mortality rates have declined for all ethnic groups in the United States over the past fifty years, the racial gap has remained persistent, and is not fully understood despite numerous quantitative studies. The purpose of this study was to understand the lived experiences of African American women in relationship to the black gap in infant mortality. Thirteen African American women participated in either a focus group or in–depth interviews. Women were asked to use their life experiences to identify factors that would increase the understanding of African American infant mortality. Several themes emerged indicating that the experience of stress and racism are constant factors in African American women’s lives and are inseparable from their pregnancy experience.

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