High-Achieving African American Males At One Historically Black University: A Phenomenological Study

Abstract

The difficulties African American men face in higher education have been well documented. However, there is limited research that explores the academic and social experiences of high-achieving African American males in higher education (Harper, 2009). Moreover, there are fewer studies that examine the experiences of these men at HBCUs (Bonner, 2003; Gasman & Dorsey, 2012; Jett, 2013). Therefore, using Gilman Whiting's Scholar Identity Model and Urie Bronfenbrenner's Bioecological Systems Theory, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the academic and social experiences of high-achieving African American males attending a historically Black university (HBU). Qualitative methods, phenomenological methods specifically, were employed to understand the academic and social experiences of the high-achieving men in this study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine high-achieving African American males attending Success University (SU), a mid-Atlantic HBU. After using Moustakas's (1994) method for analyzing data in a phenomenological study, the following themes emerged, which captured the essence of the participants' experiences attending SU: (1) “I Failed, but I'm No Failure”: Overcoming Challenges and Failures; (2) “Standing Out”: Defying Negative African American Stereotypes; (3) “It Takes A Village”: Family, Peer, and Spiritual Support and Self-Motivation ; (4) “I Don't Sleep”: Sacrificing Now to Ensure Future Success; and (5) “Friends and Enemies”: Divergent Experiences with Faculty. Findings from this study showed that although each participant experienced academic and life challenges, the HBCU environment fostered a sense of racial pride and provided each participant with access to professors, staff, and peers who supported their academic pursuits. This study has implications for HBCU administrators and faculty, researchers, and K–12 practitioners who seek to support the academic trajectory of African American males.