“Third Floor Respect”: A Black Masculinist Examination of Morehouse College’s Mathematics Learning Community

Abstract

ABSTRACT The disproportionate representation of Black men in mathematics has perplexed researchers for decades, and the undergraduate space has been championed as a lever to help remedy this issue. Thus, more research is needed that examines Black men’s experiences as mathematics majors. To advance knowledge in the field of higher education, this yearlong ethnographic study uses Black masculinity theory to examine Morehouse College’s mathematics learning community, which is comprised of 16 graduating seniors. I use demographic surveys, semi-structured interviews, and observations to investigate the experiences of these 16 mathematics majors. “Third floor respect” is a concept used to denote the mathematical prowess among Black male mathematics majors on the third/top floor of the academic building. Third floor respect is the central finding that ultimately described this mathematics learning community’s peer interactions and departmental attributes. Implications for practice and research are shared to advance asset-based empirical mathematics learning community scholarship, refute deficit narratives concerning Black men’s mathematical abilities, and broaden the participation of Black men in mathematics.