Black Male College Research Articles

Black male college athletes’ self-schemata and (Un)critical consciousness

ABSTRACT Extant literature on the experiences of Black male college athletes focuses on outcomes, such as their college engagement (academic, athletic, and social), graduation rates, and post-college transitions. However, there is a lack of focus on the antecedents of these outcomes. This article offers empirical findings from a study of 16 Black male college athletes’ developmental experiences at Division I historically white institutions. The study employed a constructivist grounded theory methodology and incorporated a three-stage coding analysis to make sense of data. A key finding from this study is the identification of the (Sub)Conscious Decision-Making Filter, which is comprised of the following four components: (a) Self-Schemata; (b) Critical Racial Consciousness; (c) Social Associations Related to Racial, Athletic, and Student Identities; and (d) Internal Conflict. Data analysis offers insights into the meaning-making processes of Black male college athletes as they exist in majority white spaces, which is vital for sport administrators who seek to support the optimal holistic development of this important stakeholder group.

On your mark, get set, go: The athletic recruitment and postsecondary experiences of Black male college athletes formerly in foster care

This counter-narrative qualitative study examined the athletic recruitment and postsecondary experiences (i.e., college transition and navigation) of three Black male college track and field athletes formerly in foster care. This article uses Schlossberg’s transition theory to deliver a dashing story of endurance. Three significant themes arose from participants’ experiences:1) their athletic recruitment process was complex and isolating; 2) their postsecondary transition and navigation was challenging; and 3) their participation in athletics helped them focus their attention away from their adverse experiences, gain access to postsecondary education, and find a chosen family. The study offers implications for future research and immediate practice that could enhance the scholarship on and experiences of college-going Black students with foster care backgrounds coming out of the starter blocks and accelerating toward postsecondary degrees.

Chronic Kidney Disease Risk Awareness, Dietary Intake, and Food Security Among Black Male College Students

ObjectivesNutrition, lifestyle factors, and awareness of chronic kidney disease (CKD) risk are vital tools for preventing or delaying its development and progression in Black American (BA) males. Few published studies assess awareness of CKD risk in BA male college students despite being at high risk. This study aimed to 1) assess the awareness of CKD risk among BA male college students and 2) identify dietary and lifestyle habits related to CKD risk. MethodsThis was a cross-sectional online survey utilizing a network sampling technique. Inclusion criteria were self-identification as a Black American male and current enrollment in a university. Participants were recruited through publicly available social media sites and emails. The online questionnaire contained demographic, health status, and food security items. Pearson’s correlations explored associations between continuous variables; independent samples t-tests compared mean scores of responses between perceived risk of disease groups. ResultsSixty-seven participants completed the survey. Only 22.4% perceived they were at increased risk for kidney disease, while 49.3% felt at increased risk for developing hypertension (HTN). More respondents (32.8%) also felt at increased risk for developing diabetes than kidney disease. Dietary sodium restriction was reported by 34.3%, while only 14.9% had been advised to do so by a healthcare provider. Half of the respondents were deemed food insecure, and 17.86% were categorized as experiencing very low food security. ConclusionAwareness of CKD risk is low for BA male college students and lags behind awareness of HTN and diabetes risk. There may be a lack of knowledge regarding CKD as a long-term complication of HTN and diabetes. Dietary sodium restriction is marginal, and food security is a significant challenge in this high-risk group. Educational initiatives are needed to increase awareness of CKD risk among BA male college students.

The Experiences, and Effects, of Racial Mistreatments in the Lives of Black Male Collegiate Football Players: A Qualitative Analysis

Black male college athletes historically have endured racial mistreatment, particularly at Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs). Yet research examining how these athletes, particularly football players in Power Five conferences, experience such mistreatments and the effects they have on their psychological health and well-being has been sparse. Thus, we interviewed 13 current Black male college football players to document their experiences. Through reflexive thematic analysis, we determined that the athletes (a) believed that football defined and limited them, (b) felt misunderstood and isolated on campus, (b) were dehumanized and criminalized, and (d) were physically and psychologically exhausted from chronic racial mistreatments. There remains a clear need for clinical, policy, and systemic changes to support the mental health needs of Black male college athletes.

Anti-Black Misandry as an Emotional Reflection With Black American Male College Athletes: An Interpretative Phenomenological Study

Black American males, specifically Black male athletes, experience a form of twoness that uniquely recognizes their talents but also a societal fear. This work addresses Black American males’ multidimensionality and emotional and psychological expressions when dealing with societal racism. This work explores Anti-Black misandry through an interpretive phenomenological lens. Five Black American men who are former college athletes reflect and emotionally express their experiences being a Black man and an athlete throughout their entire athletic continuum and post their athletic tenure. Results suggest that Black males are willing to express their vulnerabilities emotionally in safe spaces while recognizing racialized gender norms about emotional expressions. Implications of this study suggest that Black American male college athletes, when given constructive support, have meaningful ideas and resolutions about how society can honestly acknowledge their humanity and not just gaze at their existence as entertaining objects.

Self-Presentation and Black Male College Athletes at Historically White Institutions

Black male college athletes (BMCAs) are in a unique position within the contexts of historically white institutions and Division I college athletics. Recently, BMCAs have increasingly presented themselves in ways that highlight specific social identities or even in opposition to the college athletic system and higher education environment. However, little has changed as power and privilege remain central forces in white-dominated settings. This constructivist grounded theory study examines how historically white institution and Division I athletic environments influence self-presentation of BMCAs through a Black critical theory lens. The experiences of 16 BMCAs illuminated how self-presentation was influenced by academic and athletic settings, Division I subdivision characteristics, and sport-specific contexts. I conclude with recommendations and directions for future research.

“Take a Mental Break”: Examining the Coping Efforts of Black College Students Exposed to Police Killings

Given the repeated police killings of unarmed Black people and their increasing visibility because of recent technological advances, Black people are especially vulnerable to adverse mental health effects. However, little is known about how they attempt to cope with these incidents or how their efforts may affect their mental health. Informed by trauma theory and stress, appraisal, and coping theory, this study used semi-structured in-depth interviews with 30 Black male and female undergraduate college students (aged 18–28) exposed to police killings of other unarmed Black people to examine their coping efforts and the impact on their mental health. Students were recruited from four historically Black colleges and universities in South Carolina. Grounded theory analysis identified several emotion-focused coping and problem-focused coping employed by Black college students to cope with repeated police killings. Furthermore, findings suggest that proactive planning for police killings, at both individual and personal network levels, buffers students against the negative mental impacts of these events. Research and practice implications suggest the need for future studies to identify and develop culturally specific interventions that support effective coping skills to mitigate adverse health outcomes for Black people in the aftermath of police killings.

Black Men’s Experiences at Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs) and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) : A 30-Year Interpretative Meta-Synthesis

Several studies on Black men in colleges and universities focused heavily on quantitative measurements of their enrollment, retention or attrition, and graduation rates. In contrast, limited research shed light on their qualitative experiences on college/university campuses. Of those, many found that African American male students face unique challenges at predominantly white colleges, including feelings of invisibility, microaggressions, and a dearth of Black faculty. This study takes a different angle to fill the gap by studying the Black men’s experiences at PBIs and HBCUs. Utilizing a Black Male College “Choice” Framework (BMCCF), three reoccurring themes were identified to describe the experiences of Black men at both PBIs and HBCUs: family, psychological, and institutional. Overall, the study found close similarities in the Black Men’s experiences between PBIs and HBCUs. Implications for future research are also suggested.

For the Bruhs: The Need for the Racialized and Gendered Support of Black Male College Students

Abstract: Due to institutionalized discrimination, preexisting lower enrollment, and disproportionate disenrollment during the COVID-19 pandemic, Black male college students’ success has a disparately beleaguered trajectory. Disparities in access to academic programs, resources, and support may be due, in part, to those poorer trajectories but also are affected by university policies (or the lack thereof). These students have lower rates of successful recruitment, retention, and graduation. Because institutions that receive federal funding must operate in ways that are free of race-based and sex-based bias, these institutions are obligated to address Black male college students’ lagging numbers as well as any resulting, potentially hostile atmospheres that these students perceive. Failure to address these issues is a form of discrimination and may be tantamount to violations of Titles VI and IX. Racialized and gendered problems require racialized and gendered solutions. Proactive policy shifts and implications are discussed.

Virtual game boys: an examination of Black male cyberbonding play as navigation of a Hispanic Serving Institution

This critical qualitative study uses education journey maps (EJMs) as undergirded by critical race theory to examine how three Black male collegians use cyberbonding play to navigate the geographies of racism while attending a Hispanic-serving Institution (HSI). Sociospatial dialectic is applied in concert with educational journey mapping to center participants in a collaborative research process. Education journey maps (EJMs) created by participants explained the multidimensional value of contextualized counter-cartography narratives to understand the benefits of engaging in play across physical and virtual geographies. Each EMJ was created by participants using: (a) constructive prompts; (b) continual access; (c) genuine reciprocity; and (d) expressed authentic gratitude (Annamma, 2018). Unfurled digital and physical spaces yielded two emergent themes that comprised cyberbonding play: 1) “Get what you came for!”; and 2) User Friendly. Study findings inform how Black male collegians purposefully use cyberbonding play while in pursuit of degree attainment despite college geographic hostilities.

Avoiding Allostatic Load: Black Male Collegians and the Quest for Well-Being

The literature suggests that African American/Black males are less likely to seek professional assistance for mental health and other personal concerns than African American/Black females and that they are more likely to seek informal help for mental health problems than professional help. Are there circumstances where African American/Black males would seek professional help over informal help? This research updates what is currently known about African American/Black male collegians’ help-seeking behaviors and the circumstances or conditions that might influence professional help-seeking. Secondary data illustrating the help-seeking behaviors of African American/Black male collegians at an urban HBCU was examined to identify patterns or trends during the first semester of 2018 and 2019. De-identified data sheets for 103 African American/Black males were examined to identify referral sources, current mental health concerns, and past mental health concerns. African American/Black male and female collegians sought professional assistance for similar concerns: family problems, couples problems, peer interpersonal problems, depression, anxiety, and stress. Black males were more likely to self-refer for professional assistance than seek informal assistance. Implications for university counseling centers are explored.

An Exploration of Black College Students’ Conformity to Gender-Role Norms on Gender-Role Stress and Depression

Gender-role norms have caused men and women to be limited to many of the expectations that distinguish masculinity and femininity. Thus, the societally derived idea of what “makes a man a man” or a “woman a woman” has become the topic of gender-role conflict. Previous studies have investigated gender-role conflict between masculinity and femininity and gender-role norms, but there is a gap in understanding how conforming to gender-role norms affect mental health, particularly among Black cisgender college students. The present study examined the adherence to gender-role norms and its impact on gender-role stress and depression that results from conforming to traditional ideology in a sample of Black cisgender college students (n = 120). An Independent Samples T-Test revealed statistically significant differences between Black men’s and women’s conformity to gender-role norms and their reported experiences of gender-role stress, but not depression. Results suggest there are psychological consequences of conforming to traditional role norms for both Black male and female college students and could potentially impact how these students perceive their gender-roles in society.

Speaking Back to the Neoliberal Community College

This article explores the complexities and contradictions of neoliberal policy reforms on fifteen Black and Latino male community college students who participated in a qualitative, longitudinal study at Urban Community College. Though the conventional wisdom on community colleges assumes that more and better neoliberal policies will lead to improved outcomes and greater equity for educationally disenfranchised students, this study illustrates how the policies that are at the heart of the college completion agenda, such as continuous full-time enrollment, on-time graduation, and guided curricular pathways, were implicated in the study participants’ academic challenges.

"Could Be Even Worse in College": Social Factors, Anxiety, and Depressive Symptoms Among Black Men on a College Campus.

Understanding mental health risks among Black men is a step forward in reducing health and educational disparities that are persistent in today's society. Semi-structured focus groups were conducted with 20 Black male undergraduate students from a college campus in the Southeast. The aim wasto identify andunderstand the social and contextual factors impacting their risk of experiencing anxiety and depressive symptoms. A thematic analysis, theoretically grounded in the social-ecological model (SEM),was conducted, revealing three overarching themes: 1)what is known or felt about mental health 2)causes of stressors and 3)signs as symptoms. Discussions with men offered insight into their perspectives and personal experiences related to mental health issues and perceived risk factors. Themes suggest that the college transition, academic workload, perceived financial distress, and their desire and need to conform to ideals of masculinity were significant risk factors and stressors. Men offered descriptions of specific symptoms and health behaviors associated with such stress, including social isolation, anger, irritability, and changes in their own personal behaviors. Key findings paint a picture of college mental health experiences for some Black male college students. Moving forward, more research is needed to expand on this study's findings and improve mental health risk among this underserved population. Future directions are discussed alongside the results presented in this paper.

Creating practices and strategies towards persistence for undeclared, Black males at Predominately White Institutions (PWIs)

AbstractThe majority of research on Black males highlights the problems or barriers faced by this demographic due to the low retention and completion rates. A factor that is often not discussed when students enter college is their decision around initially declaring a major and its future impact on their persistence and college completion. This chapter explores practices and strategies for senior administrators in higher education to assist undeclared, Black male students at Predominately White Institutions (PWIs) toward persistence and ultimately college completion. The recommendations for practice in this chapter offer tangible tools to create a positive campus experience for Black male collegians, as well as educate and hold members of the campus community accountable.

“I Might as Well Get My Education”: The Experiences of Black Male Division III College Athletes

Division III college athletes have been largely ignored in the growing literature involving college sport. Given that the majority of college athletes that participate in high profile sports are athletes of color, there is a need to explore the experiences of this population, specifically at the Division III level. Informed by the Excellence Beyond Athletics (EBA) framework, which empowers students of color, especially Black male athletes, the purpose of this study is to explore the experiences of Black male athletes at two rural Division III institutions. Ten Black male Division III athletes took part in semi-structured interviews. Using inductive analysis and descriptive coding, six final themes were established: College Choice/Financial Issues, Academics, Time Management, Athletic Identity/Culture, Commitment to Athletics, and Campus Climate/Black Experience. This study strives to better understand the experiences of Black male college athletes at the Division III level in hopes of enhancing the student experience through impactful programming.

Black male college athlete identity: A scoping review

Scholarship on college athlete identity has increased within recent decades; however, there remains a dearth of literature centred on identity and Black male college athletes. While athletic identity is often self and socially regarded as a dominant identity, this population also holds numerous identities, such as race, gender, sexual orientation, class, and being a student. This scoping review synthesizes 26 peer-reviewed pieces of scholarship that focus on Black male college athletes and identity. Thematic categories found in this literature include discussions of athletic identity, complexities and intersections of identity, United States (US) college and athletic context impacting identity salience, and shifting the narrative of Black male college athlete identity. This review concludes with future directions that encourage the increase in research regarding identity and Black male college athletes.

Black Cultural Capital, Resistance, and Leadership among Black Male Collegians

AbstractGiven the deficit and crisis narratives that dominate the discourse on Black males’ educational experiences and trajectories, more work is needed that attends to their strengths and assets and that also reveal new stories about their possibilities. The current study examines the college experiences of 65 Black men who participated in a Black Male Initiative (BMI) program at three different colleges. In particular, I use cultural capital as a frame to investigate how they made meaning and benefited from their BMI engagement. I discuss three specific ways that the men express and embody cultural capital: investing in self, uplifting the collective, and embodying leadership. Findings from this study provide empirical evidence for the importance of expanding and supporting alternate types of cultural capital for Black men, especially in the form of resistance capital and leadership capital, and better appreciating how these contribute to their collegiate experiences and personal development.

Editor’s Introduction

The Journal of Minority Achievement, Creativity and Leadership (JMACL) is a window seat, an intellectual space for academics, policymakers, practitioners, researchers, students, and scholars to view the terrain in its variegated form and structure, especially those extant landmarks positioned at the intersection of achievement, creativity, and leadership. JMACL attempts to provide rhythmic syncopation to the cacophony of voices speaking to the complexities that diverse populations in general, and minoritized populations in particular, experience across the P–20 educational continuum and beyond. Through their collective and individual wisdom, contrib utors share best practices, conceptual models, and theoretical frameworks that illuminate asset-based approaches related to the achievement and success of minority populations. In this issue our authors include:Sharon LaVonne Fries Britt, PhD, and Felicia Onuma, in “The Role of Family, Race, and Community as Sources of Motivation for Black Students in STEM,” argue that understanding the sources of motivation that Black students identify as contributing to their persistence offers invaluable insights into ways to support student success in physics. Knowing the determinants of their commitment to remain in the major provide departments, faculty, advisors and mentors additional areas to reinforce and affirm.Jase Kugiya, Jorge Burmicky, PhD, and Victor B. Saenz, PhD, in “High-Achieving Latino Men and Men of Color Programs: Perspectives from Community College Program Staff,” explore two Men of Color (MoC) programs located at two Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) community colleges in Texas. Using two rounds of qualitative semi-structured interviews, a participant intake form, and an institutional questionnaire, this research applied Schreiner’s (2010) Thriving Quotient and Garcia’s (2018) Organizational Frameworks for Decolonizing HSIs to understand how MoC program staff define high-achievement and how MoC programs support high-achieving Latino men.Derrick Brooms, PhD, in “Black Cultural Capital, Resistance, and Leadership among Black Male Collegians,” examines the college experiences of 65 Black men who participated in a Black Male Initiative (BMI) program at three different colleges. Given the deficit and crisis narratives that dominate the discourse on Black males’ educational experiences and trajectories, more work is needed that attends to their strengths and assets as well as reveals new stories about their possibilities.Nicholas D. Hartlep, PhD, Daisy B. Ball, PhD, Kevin E. Wells, PhD, Hannah M. Wilk, and Brandon O. Hensley, PhD, in “An Exploratory Analysis of Scripps Spelling Bee Winners, 1925–2019: Is There Evidence of Asian American Overrepresentation?,” analyze the demographic and geographic characteristics of the winners of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Included in the analyses are responses to questions such as: Are Scripps National Spelling Bee winners more likely to be males or females? Asians or non-Asians? And, what is the average age of winners?Frank Tuitt, PhD, in “More than a Hashtag: Nurturing Black Excellence in Traditionally White Institutions,” provides some direction as to how traditionally white institutions (TWIs) can move away from superficial enactments of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and instead adopt a racial equity strategy that nurtures and values Black Excellence.Patricia E. Literte, PhD, in “Mobilizing Beyond Black and White: Coalition Building and Identity Formation Among Students of Color at a Public and a Private University,” examines coalition building between Black, Latinx, and Asian Pacific American students, as well as the construction of a panracial “people of color” identity, on two university campuses in California.Our desire is for JMACL to serve as a forum that provides practitioners, researchers, scholars, and individuals in contexts external to the Academy with dialectical space to explore achievement, creativity, and leadership across diverse communities. This issue, with its diverse array of contributors is emblematic of the type of transgressive scholarship that pushes boundaries and evokes new paradigms of thought. We encourage our readers to deconstruct the theoretical approaches and problematize the conceptual frameworks presented here. Hence, as JMACL helps us to know better, it is incumbent upon us to use this knowledge to do better.

Understanding the Laws of Harvest: Black and Latino Male Collegians Enacting Critical Race Care as Youth Mentors

Background/Context: In recent years, there has been a proliferation of student engagement programs intended to increase college access, retention, and graduation for Black and Latino males. Although supporting Black and Latino male students’ educational opportunities and success efforts is an urgent need, few studies examine their collective leadership experiences—either on campus or in the community. These experiences are important in understanding how engagement and leadership are vital components for Black and Latino males’ sense of self, community ties, and collective consciousness. Focus of Study: We investigate the collegiate experiences and engagement of 12 Black and Latino male students in the Brothers Empowering Collective Achievement (BECA; pseudonym), a male-centered program at a Hispanic-serving institution. We explored their leadership and mentoring experiences through the following research questions: (1) How do Black and Latino college men make sense of their engagement in a male-centered success program? (2) What factors influence Black and Latino males’ decisions to serve in a leadership capacity as youth mentors? (3) What is the focus of Black and Latino males’ leadership work as youth mentors? (4) What do Black and Latino males take away from their experiences as youth mentors? Intervention/Program/Practice: The BECA program is an academic and social engagement program that was developed in an effort to increase graduation and retention of Latino and Black men. BECA provides professional workshops, one-on-one and small group mentoring, community service opportunities, and various other social activities. In addition, strategic partnerships with local schools allow college students to mentor middle and high school students. Research Design: This qualitative study is based on focus group interviews with 12 Black and Latino male students at a Hispanic-serving institution related to their leadership experiences as youth mentors for local middle school and high school students. Findings/Results: Our findings show that students were nested in, benefited from, and enacted critical race care—expressed as holistic care for youth, which considers their racialized identities and experiences as well as various facets of their lives in supporting their needs and development—through their BECA engagement. According to the men’s narratives, BECA provided a unique opportunity to bring Black and Latino males together to pursue individual and collective goals. In addition, serving in leadership roles as youth mentors within the local community enhanced the men’s sense of self and allowed them to contribute to community education and youth development. Conclusion/Recommendations: This study speaks to the value and benefits Latino and Black men accrue from critical race care. Specifically, being engaged and embedded in a community in which they pursue collective educational and personal goals enhances engagement, leadership, and relationships for Black and Latino college students.