Experiences Of African American Women Research Articles

Explaining and Improving Breast Cancer Information Acquisition Among African American Women in the Deep South

A major challenge facing contemporary cancer educators is how to optimize the dissemination of breast cancer prevention and control information to African American women in the Deep South who are believed to be cancer free. The purpose of this research was to provide insight into the breast cancer information-acquisition experiences of African American women in Alabama and Mississippi and to make recommendations on ways to better reach members of this high-risk, underserved population. Focus group methodology was used in a repeated, cross-sectional research design with 64 African American women, 35 years old or older who lived in one of four urban or rural counties in Alabama and Mississippi. Axial-coded themes emerged around sources of cancer information, patterns of information acquisition, characteristics of preferred sources, and characteristics of least-preferred sources. It is important to invest in lay health educators to optimize the dissemination of breast cancer information to African American women who are believed to be cancer free in the Deep South.

From One Culture to Another: Years One and Two of Graduate School for African American Women in the STEM Fields

Introduction Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have long been an intellectual resource for the African American community. HBCUs have provided and continue to provide an educational pathway for many African American students, particularly women who seek advanced degrees. From 2003 through 2007 seven of the top ten colleges that awarded bachelor's degree in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) to African Americans were HBCUs (NSF, 2009a). In addition, the top ten baccalaureate institutions of doctoral degree recipients between 2003 to 2007 were all HBCUs (NSF, 2009b). Despite the overwhelmingly positive presence of HBCUs in the African American community, the academic training of students who graduate from HBCUs is often perceived as insufficient by Predominantly White Graduate Institutions (PWIs) and their faculty (Kim & Conrad, 2006). As a result, African American students from HBCUs that move on to attend PWIs for graduate education may not be well integrated into their respective departmental communities and cultures, and may be perceived as less-skilled (Burgess, 1997; Kim & Conrad, 2006). They are also likely to leave graduate programs within the key transition period of the first two years (Herzig, 2004; Tinto, 1993). HBCUs and majority White research institutions are known to exhibit cultural differences (Weidman, Twale, & Stein, 2001). At HBCUs at the undergraduate level, associations and involvement are university-wide (across disciplines and respective academic units), and the culture is perceived to be open and encouraging from the time the students step on to campus (Perna, Lundy-Wagner, Drezner, Gasman, Yoon, Bose & Gary, 2009; St. John, 2000). In contrast, PWIs have been described as places where faculty are indifferent, where little advice is offered, where students are expected to work independently, and where students associate almost exclusively within their respective departments (Morelle, 1996). Thus while HBCUs may provide the support and grounding that engages their students academically and launches their pursuit of higher degrees, they may not prepare them to meet the climate they face upon reaching their graduate programs. To understand the fundamental characteristics of HBCUs and why they differ from PWIs, it is helpful to first consider the six goals that serve as their framework: 1) the maintenance of the Black culture and historical traditions; 2) the creation and retention of Black leadership within the HBCU; 3) the commitment to being an economic unit within the community in which each school respectively stands; 4) the creation of Black role models to interpret the dynamics that impact other Black people outside of the college community; 5) the creation of leaders that are confident and competent in their dealing with of issues that affect all people; and 6) the creation of change agents that can conduct research, training, and disseminate information benefiting everyday lives of all minority communities (Brown & Davis, 2001). Although all HBCUs are not alike, their cultural traditions are such that they all intuitively enforce the belief that the goal of education should be couched in terms of responsibility (Mays, 1942). HBCUs consider themselves social agencies and social equalizers for students of color that have been denied access to higher education and marginalized in society. The purpose of this paper is to present the experiences of African American women who transition from HBCUs to majority institutions in STEM fields and what impact this transition has on their persistence and commitment to their disciplines. Specifically this article is the result of a case study inquiry focused on the experiences of six African-American female students who transition from undergraduate studies at HBCUs to graduate studies (during the first two years) in mathematics and chemistry at PWIs. …

Negotiating Race and Womanhood across the Pacific: African American Women in Japan under U.S. Military Occupation, 1945-52

This paper examines the experiences of African American women who were stationed in various parts of mainland Japan under U.S. military occupation from 1945 to 1952 as major actors in shaping the postwar U.S.-Japanese relationship. It argues that African American women in Japan defined, asserted, and performed alternative racial identities, gender roles, and class positions to achieve their own empowerment within the “trans-Pacific” boundaries they encountered as “occupiers,” as well as racial and gender minorities. Regardless of their social backgrounds in the U.S., African American women were in privileged positions that held considerable power and prerogative vis-a-vis Japanese citizens as members of the U.S. occupation forces. Among them, those in civilian duty greatly advanced their rank within the U.S. Army and enjoyed luxurious lifestyles with political and economic privilege enough to hire Japanese maids and gain access to extensive leisure and shopping activities. African American women developed an appreciation for interracialism and internationalism through their daily encounters with Japanese people, and their exchanges with white Americans as well, in the integrated and multiracial setting of Japan. Moreover, they faced and resisted racism and sexism within the U.S. Army and from the patriarchal sector of the African American community in Japan.

African American Women’s Nineteenth Century Public (Vocal) and Private (Text) Voice

(2012). African American Women’s Nineteenth Century Public (Vocal) and Private (Text) Voice. Journal of the African Literature Association: Vol. 6, No. 2, pp. 153-167.

The character of womanhood: How African American women’s perceptions of womanhood influence marriage and motherhood

This qualitative paper will focus on how black women understand and perceive womanhood, and will explore how black women’s perceptions regarding womanhood shape their attitudes and behaviours toward marriage and motherhood. Using a black feminist approach, I assert that black women’s perceptions of womanhood are not based on European notions as the family structure and experiences of African American women is characteristically different from that of white women. Further, I assert that African American women create a modified version of womanhood based on their education, social class and economic position in relation to black men, and which may, in turn, inform their decisions regarding marriage and motherhood. Specifically, I examine the written responses of fifteen African American women between the ages of 18 and 55 (mean age of 32.6 years) regarding what is expected of them as women. Qualitative analyses of the data revealed that womanhood was defined in terms of feminine attitudes (strength, sensitivity and sensuality) and feminine behaviours (familial care, their own physical appearance and self-respect). In addition, womanhood was demonstrated through a woman’s ability to care for her home and to take the lead in the absence of male leadership. Supporting qualitative data are presented in connection with each theme. Recommendations for future research are also provided.

Patterns in the Lives of African American Women with Diabetes

The experience of African American women with diabetes has not been fully understood to guide meaningful practice. This community-based collaborative action research, based on Newman's nursing theory of health as expanding consciousness, sought to understand the experience of African American women living with diabetes, and to envision new patterns of health by engaging women in dialogue about the meaning of their experiences. Interviews with 7 women revealed the multi-faceted nature of living with diabetes; blood sugars rise and fall with stress, depression, and trauma, as well as spiritual strength, mentors, and sister friends balance energy demands. Findings were woven into a spoken word narrative to engage the wider community in dialogue to gain new insights into how to live and relate in healthier ways. These findings give rise to a different model of community health and guide nurses to focus holistically on what is meaningful in the lives of their patients.

The Meaning of Breast Cancer Risk for African American Women

To describe African American women's experience of being at high risk for breast cancer. A hermeneutic phenomenological approach was used to guide in-depth interviews and analysis. Methods to ensure trustworthiness and rigor were included. Open interviews were conducted with 20 African American women who were at high risk for breast cancer (family history, personal history, genetic mutation). They were recruited from a cancer risk clinic and community-based settings. Data were transcribed verbatim, and themes were labeled among and between all interviews. Five themes were identified: (a) life-changing experience; (b) relationships: fears, support, and concerns; (c) the healthcare experience; (d) raising awareness; and (e) strong faith. Young women at high risk for breast cancer have unique emotional and support needs that are shaped by stage in life, relationships with significant others, their faith, and interactions with the healthcare delivery system. Breast cancer does occur in young women. This highlights the need for timely and sensitive approaches to care when young women present with breast health concerns or abnormal breast findings.

The Voice of the Voiceless: An Interview With Thelma Daley

Thelma Thomas Daley, through leadership, service, teaching, and publication, has been committed to the counseling profession for over 40 years. Daley was a pioneer in the counseling field as the 1st African American president of the American School Counselor Association in 1971 and the 1st African American and 3rd female president of the American Personnel and Guidance Association (now American Counseling Association [ACA]) in 1975. In this interview, she recounts her experiences as an organizational leader committed to enhancing the multicultural growth and professional excellence of ACA.

“So I Just Took Over”: African American Daughters Caregiving for Parents with Heart Failure

This article examines the experiences of African American women who are caring for a parent with heart failure. Seven adult daughter caregivers completed in-depth, qualitative interviews, and a phenomenological approach was used for data analysis. Results suggest the presence of caregiving stressors, including heart failure symptoms and comorbidity, caregiving duties, social–emotional stressors, and distrust of the health system. Relevant coping strategies included valuing the caregiving role, coordinating care with siblings, taking charge, and spirituality. Social workers can play a critical role in supporting and advocating for caregivers of persons with heart failure, helping them to cope with stressors associated with advanced illness, connecting families with culturally acceptable services, and facilitating communication between families and health care providers.

The role of spirituality in the breast cancer experiences of African American women.

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer type among African American women. African American women often use spirituality to overcome the physical, psychological, and emotional burdens that accompany a breast cancer diagnosis. Spirituality has been used over the years by African American women to bring hope when dealing with hardships. This integrative review seeks to explore the importance of spirituality to African American women throughout the breast cancer experience. Thirteen qualitative and quantitative studies that discussed how spirituality was used to cope with breast cancer from initial diagnosis to survivorship were reviewed. Spirituality was found to be the main coping mechanism used during all phases of the cancer experience. To provide holistic nursing care, nurses must understand that spirituality is an important coping strategy used by most African American women with breast cancer. The implications for nursing that were identified include the incorporation of spiritual interventions and the utilization of culturally appropriate assessment tools.

Two Sides of the Same Coin: Revising Analyses of Lesbian Sexuality and Family Formation Through the Study of Black Women

The present work analyzes results from a three-year, mixed-methods sociological study of Black lesbian–headed families. It identifies four points of departure Black women make from what the existing literature has assumed about lesbian families and lesbian practice. It links these ideologies and behaviors to the experiences of African-American women growing up in Black heterosexual families and communities, particularly the mother-centered quality of many Black households and the history of female labor force participation and economic contributions to the household.

Women's experience of group prenatal care.

Group prenatal care (GPNC) is an innovative alternative to individual prenatal care. In this longitudinal study we used ethnographic methods to explore African American and Hispanic women's experiences of receiving GPNC in two urban clinics. Methods included individual, in-depth, semistructured interviews of women and group leaders in GPNC, participant observation of GPNC sessions, and medical record review. GPNC offered positive experiences and met many of women's expressed preferences regarding prenatal care. Six themes were identified, which represented separate aspects of women's experiences: investment, collaborative venture, a social gathering, relationships with boundaries, learning in the group, and changing self. Taken together, the themes conveyed the overall experience of GPNC. Women were especially enthusiastic about learning in groups, about their relationships with group leaders, and about having their pregnancy-related changes and fears normalized; however, there were also important boundaries on relationships between participants, and some women wished for greater privacy during physical examinations.

Battle Cries: Black Women and Intimate Partner Abuse ‐ by Hillary Potter

Battle Cries: Black Women and Intimate Partner Abuse. Hillary Potter. New York: New York University Press. 2008. 273 pp. ISBN 9700814767306. $23.00 paper. Battle Cries is Hillary Potter's analysis of interviews with 40 Black women who have left their abusive male partners. The book is rich with these women's perspectives on their own experiences (and often their perceptions of how their experiences differ from those of abused White women), providing us with multiple, concrete reminders that there is no universal woman. The experiences of these particular Black women are the foundation for Potter's most general point: We must not address intimate partner abuse from a belief that the experiences of this abuse are similar across races, ethnicities, cultures, nationalities, and sexual orientation (p. 200). Of course, as with all good qualitative work, this book gets well below such abstractions to illustrate the concrete ways in which the fact that these women are of African descent living in the contemporary United States inflects their experiences. Four substantive chapters are the heart of the book. Surviving Childhood covers the women's perceptions of the relevance of fheir childhood experiences for their adult reactions to abuse. Many of them had experienced or witnessed violence, and those experiences affected them in dramatically different ways. For example, for some of the women, observing the abuse of their mother led to a determination not to live with such abuse themselves, whereas for others, the experience kept them from recognizing their own abuse as quickly as they might have had they grown up in a more peaceful setting. Living Through provides a rich description of the structure of the abuse the women experienced, a description that validates the long line of feminist research that documents the role of coercive control in male intimate terrorism (Johnson, 2008). Fighting Back documents the resistance, both physical and otherwise, that characterizes most of these women. Although Potter emphasizes the cultural tradition of the strong Black woman as a major reason that Black women resist abuse, I was struck more by the extent to which these women's reactions sound very much like those described in other research on women dealing with coercive controlling violence. Despite Potter's tendency to label every behavior of these women as resistance, I strongly recommend the chapter as a rich discussion of the meaning and dynamics of resistance for these Black women. I have argued elsewhere that violent resistance is one of the most understudied types of intimate partner violence, and Potter's book is an important contribution to that literature. Getting Out is the final substantive chapter. It is the longest chapter in the book and discusses the diverse and complicated paths by which these women escaped from their abusers. Again, I would argue that most of this process is similar to that described in other studies of women who have left their abusers (e.g., Kirkwood, 1 993) but with elements that are specific to the experiences of African American women. For example, a number of the respondents reported that they were concerned about the stigma of being another single Black mother or were worried that if they left their partner they would deprive their children of a male role model - in short supply in their communities. The substantive chapters make Battle Cries a particularly rich addition to the research literature regarding (a) the dynamic and creative means by which women cope with intimate partner abuse and (b) the particular perspectives of African American women on that experience. In my view, Battle Cries is for that reason essential reading for professionals in the field, both researchers and practitioners. Two major concerns, however, temper my positive feelings about the book. First, the book did not get the editing it deserved. I found myself frequently confused by the author's sentences or lines of argument, and it was not unusual for me to conclude that I was indeed dealing with contradictions and non sequiturs. …

Invited Commentary: The Socioeconomic Causes of Adverse Birth Outcomes

Weathering-the cumulative burden of adverse psychosocial and economic circumstances on the bodies of minority women-has been repeatedly described in epidemiologic studies. The most common application has been the documentation of rapidly increasing risks of adverse birth outcomes as African-American women age. Previous work has been based largely on cross-sectional data that aggregate women across a variety of socioeconomic circumstances. When more specific information about women's life-course socioeconomic status is taken into account, however, heterogeneity in the weathering experience of African-American women becomes more readily apparent. Adverse birth outcome risk trajectories with advancing age for African-American women who reside in wealthier neighborhoods look much more similar to those of white women. The accompanying article by Love et al. (Am J Epidemiol. 2010;172(2):127-134) provides a more nuanced investigation of the social conditions that contribute to the weathering of African-American women and points to the critical role played by social and economic conditions over the life course in producing adverse birth outcome disparities.

Inner-City African-American Women’s Adolescence as Stressful Life Events: Understanding Substance Abusing Behavior

Lula Beatty (2003:59) asks, "What makes a black woman, voluntarily take a substance into her body which alters her perceptions and feelings of well-being?" This research examines African American women's substance abuse as a response to stressful life events grounded in adolescence, drawing in part on the cognitive-transactional approach and distal stressor model to discuss the effects of stressors on mental health and substance abusing behavior. Most respondents viewed their adolescent experiences and the associated stress as tribulations or lessons to be lived through, rather than a signal of needed change in their social, cultural, and ecological life circumstances. The effect of exposure to constant stressors early in the life course coupled with proximal stressors often resulted in negative active responses to stress (i.e. substance abuse) and continued stunted emotional growth. Thus, our findings indicate that the experience of African American women as adolescents contributes to understanding substance abuse amongst this population. These findings further help develop the cognitive-transactional model, while adding to the distal stressors and life process model as a way of considering gender, race, and structural forces.

Motivations and Justifications for Partner Aggression in a Sample of African American College Women

Little is known about African American college women's use, experience, and conceptualizations of intimate partner violence (IPV). The current study addresses this gap in the literature by investigating a sample of African American college women's motivations for perpetration of psychological and physical IPV and justifications for hypothetical aggressive behavior. Using factors derived from a factor analysis of the Motivations and Effects Questionnaire (Follingstad, Wright, Lloyd, & Sebastian, 1991), results revealed that African American women in the current sample were using IPV primarily as a destructive method of communication. Furthermore, justifications for aggression, in general, were significantly related to the perpetration of minor physical aggression. Implications of the study for the prevention of dating violence among college women are discussed.

Reflections on Leadership from the Perspective of an African American Woman of Faith

This article centers on faith and spirituality in the lived experiences of African American women in predominantly White organizations. Faith and spirituality are discussed as sources for coping and surviving adverse situations that emerge from intersectionality in these types of environments. The author gives personal reflections on how faith and spirituality have informed her experiences in various leadership roles. In this article, a historical and cultural background of faith and spirituality in the leadership experiences of African American women leaders will be emphasized. The discussion will include ways that faith and spirituality have provided a safe haven for African American women leaders when facing adversities in predominantly White organizations.

Social Stressors and Strengths as Predictors of Infant Birth Weight in Low-Income African American Women

Perinatal racial disparities remain an elusive problem in the United States. African American women experience the highest rate of low-birth-weight deliveries. Understanding the factors contributing to infant birth weight is crucial to unraveling existing perinatal racial disparities. The aim of this study was to broaden knowledge of predictors of infant birth weight in African American people by examining stress and resource factors not explored routinely in perinatal research along with other known correlates of birth weight. A total of 119 pregnant African American women participated in this prospective study. Social stressors included discrimination and trauma exposure. Personal resources included spirituality and social support. Data on socioeconomic status, health behaviors, and medical conditions were collected. On average, the infants weighed 3,194 +/- 660 g at birth. Overall, 14% were born with birth weights less than 2,500 g. Tobacco use, number of prenatal visits, and discrimination due to age and physical disability were significant predictors of infant birth weight (R2 = .25; p >or= .001). Factors such as spirituality and social support were not associated with birth weight. Other variables traditionally associated with birth weight did not contribute to the model in this sample. These findings provide further evidence that tobacco use, number of prenatal visits, and discrimination adversely affects birth outcomes. By continuing to explore the social and personal experiences of African American women, important insights can be gained on factors that contribute to the pervasive racial disparities in perinatal health and contribute to interventions to improve the quality of healthcare for all women.

Black Women in Texas History. Ed. by Bruce A. Glasrud and Merline Pitre. (College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 2008. viii, 248 pp. Cloth, $40.00, ISBN 978-1-60344-007-3. Paper, $19.95, ISBN 978-1-60344-031-8.)

Beginning with the Spanish period and extending to the year 2000, this collection of essays is useful primarily as a guide to resources for the history of black women in Texas. The chronological organization is particularly convenient for class assignments and makes the articles readily accessible for reference and research. The contributors include eight historians and two political scientists; three of the historians are trained in women's history. With the sparse original sources available for the period before 1865, Angela Boswell has integrated studies from other states to build an account of the experience of African American women, both free and slave, in Texas. The endnotes for her essay, “Black Women during Slavery to 1865,” are exhaustive and often include explanatory comments. By contrast, James M. Smallwood and the late Barry A. Crouch had a rich body of primary materials for their survey, “Texas Freedwomen during Reconstruction, 1865–1874.” With emphasis on suffering and tragedy—discrimination, injustice, violence, and white terrorism—these authors give relatively little attention to African American women's work, whether in maintaining homes and families or in the ways they found in their churches the base upon which to build the organizations that sustained their communities.

“Well I just generally bes the president of everything”: Rural Black Women’s Empowerment through South Carolina Home Demonstration Activities

This article is a narrative overview of the empowerment rural African American in South Carolina women developed through their participation in home demonstration programs. It contributes to a growing body of literature that specifically focuses on the experience of African American women with the home demonstration service. The lives of these women are documented through the annual narrative reports of the state agents for Negro extension work. The reports on this segregated program show that rural Afro–South Carolinian women developed leadership skills, entrepreneurial spirit, sisterhood, and a concern for community uplift that is typically exemplified among club women of the African American middle class. Despite the privations caused by gender, race, and class, rural Afro–South Carolinian who participated in extension programs developed a positive sense of their capabilities.