Bruised, not broken: scholarly personal narratives of Black women in the academy

Abstract

With growing research on our experiences, this paper explores the academic lives of four doctorate-holding Black women. Using Scholarly Personal Narrative as a methodology, monologues and reflections from a conference on race in higher education were analyzed and thematically situated to understand the vantages of navigating gendered racism in the academy. Black women experience advancing the academy in painful ways that impact their well-being and professional trajectory. Amidst a growth in social justice-focused academic programs, contemporary politics have undercut the experiences of Black women whose stories are often academicized and co-opted by others. Through the unique lens afforded by intersectionality, this paper addresses the need to listen to and value Black women’s stories. Additionally, discussions herein underscore how providing a venue for Black women to foster community benefits our and others’ success which has implications for practice, research, and policy.