Black Women Superintendents in the United States: 1984-85

Abstract

Traditionally, the position of school superintendent has been a male domain preserved primarily through the old boy network. School boards have also added to the network by giving preferential treatment to white males in their selection of school superintendents. Accordingly, this practice has led to the number of superintendents in the United States being almost exclusively male and white. In tandem with these actions, school boards have shown less favorable attitudes toward selection of women who seek top-level policy-making positions. But in recent years, there has been a growing awareness that school superintendencies need not be limited to just whites and males. Emerging on the scene have been Black women as prominent figures in selected school systems across the country, albeit in extremely small numbers. Yet, for the Black male and female in school superintendencies, these positions have been and continue to be few and far between. And, as a single group, Black women are almost nonexistent at the top echelons of public school districts. In terms of acquisition of school superintendencies they have shown the least gain of all other categories of white males, white females, and Black males.1 The inequities in job acquisition because of sex are apparent, but with the added burden of race they are doubly difficult for the Black female to hurdle. Both anti-female and anti-Black attitudes are registered toward them in subtle and blatant ways. Thus, their climb to the