Creating Black Girl Space in St. Louis: Revisiting and Reclaiming Black Girl Voice in the Classroom

Abstract

ABSTRACT Black girls face the challenge of developing a healthy sense of self because of racism and sexism in school settings. Building on extant literature, this study examines a sample of socioeconomically diverse Black girls’ in predominately White, Black, and racially and ethnically diverse school settings. Data collection included focus groups with Black girls (N = 30, M age = 12.64 years). Inductive analytic techniques were used to identify themes based on the lived experiences of Black girls across these school settings. Two themes emerged that centered on the intersectionality of race, class, and gender in their educational experiences, including (1) the misconception of Black girls and (2) resisting and reclaiming. Directions for future research and implications for Black girls are discussed.