Historically Black College/University Research Articles

The Transfer Effect: A Critical Race Theory Examination of Black Male Transfer Student Athletes’ Experiences

The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of Black male student athletes who transferred from predominantly White institutions (PWIs) to a Historically Black College/University (HBCU) in the southeastern United States (U.S.). This qualitative case study involved a single focus group interview and two individual interviews with Black male transfer student athletes who were enrolled at a HBCU. Critical race theory (CRT) was applied as a theoretical framework to examine the impact of race and racism on the participants’ experiences within different educational and sociocultural environments. The key research topics of interest included identifying the participants’ reasons for transferring from a PWI to a HBCU and understanding their college experiences at the HBCU. Findings revealed participants’ encounters with various forms of covert and overt racism at PWIs resulted in negative college experiences, which motivated them to transfer to a HBCU. Using tenets of CRT and a thematic analysis proc...

General Strain Theory and Collegiate Drinking Patterns Among African American Female Students

Collegiate drinking, its prevalence and the associated problems it poses have been a national concern for over 30 years. Recent studies indicate that alcohol related issues are still a problem for college students. As research continues to describe the patterns of college students drinking patterns based on frequency and quantity, the literature does not specifically reflect the drinking patterns of African American college students. Further, research is also limited in examining the drinking patterns of college students attending Historically Black Colleges versus those attending majority serving institutions. This research focuses on the drinking patterns of African-American women (N = 140) attending a Historically Black College/University (HBCU). Specifically, the General Strain Theory (GST) is used to analyze the indicators of African American women collegiate drinking habits. Our findings indicate that strain sparked depressive issues, which resulted in coping (i.e. binge drinking). Moreover, the more days of stressful life events increased the likelihood of depression which increased the likelihood of binge drinking.

A Replication of the Specter of Authoritarianism among Criminal Justice Majors: Does Race Matter?

Authoritarian personality types possess characteristics that are especially troubling if found among criminal justice (CJ) professionals. Recent research found significantly higher Right-Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) scores in male college students majoring in CJ than in male nonmajors as well as significantly higher scores among lower division students than their upper division counterparts. However, the results of that study were limited because the sample was predominantly Caucasian. Given the growth in African-American CJ professionals and the special salience of race, it is important to examine whether the findings can be generalized to African-Americans. In order to explore that issue the current study replicates that research with a largely African-American sample drawn from a historically black college/university (HBCU). Results indicate that, unlike the findings in the original study, CJ majors at the HBCU did not have statistically higher RWA scores. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Challenges in Teaching and Learning at the Postsecondary Level: What Style Works for You and Why?

Two pilot studies were designed to investigate the preferred learning styles of postsecondary students at a midsize Historically Black College/University (HBCU), and the types of teaching methods used by the diverse faculty. In one study, student candidates from the department of curriculum and instruction were utilized as data collectors to discover what university students believed were the teaching strategies that helped them learn difficult material. The data collected from a small group of students represented was diverse with respect to gender, ethnicity/origin, discipline of study and classification. The other study surveyed the preferred teaching styles of the faculty in the College of Education. The first study revealed that students preferred a variety of teaching styles, including teaching styles that were more challenging such as case studies. The second study noted that the diverse faculty used an average of ten teaching methods. The results initially indicated the diverse faculty used multiple methods of teaching, that appeared to match the learning needs of the students.

The Relative Returns to Graduating from a Historically Black College/University: Propensity Score Matching Estimates from the National Survey of Black Americans

This paper considers the returns to earning a baccalaureate degree from a Historically Black College/University (HBCU) relative to a non-HBCU for black Americans. With data from the National Survey of Black Americans, we use propensity score matching estimators to estimate the treatment effect of graduating from an HBCU on direct labor market outcomes, and on psychological outcomes that indirectly increase wages. We find that the treatment effect of graduating from an HBCU relative to a non-HBCU is positive with respect to labor market and psychological outcomes across three decades. As our direct labor market outcome measure reflects permanent earnings, our results suggest that as HBCUs afford graduates relatively superior long-run returns they continue to have a compelling educational justification, as the labor market outcomes of their graduates are superior to what they would have been had they graduated from a non-HBCU.

Picking a President: Candidate Over Content; Personality Over Platform

In the week leading up to the 2008 presidential election, brief excerpts from the Democratic and Republican Party platforms on “Higher Education” were presented to undergraduate students (N=244) at a major HBCU (Historically Black College/University) along with a web address which included the presidential candidate’s name. However, unknown to the respondents, the web addresses had been swapped so that the “McCain” web address headlined the Democratic platform statement, and the “Obama” web address headlined the Republican platform statement.The students, 80% of whom identified themselves as affiliated with the Democratic Party, claimed to agree most with the so-called “Obama” platform statement by a margin of 3 to 2. In other words, 63% of the Democrats claimed to agree most with the Republican platform statement! The percentage differences were greater than the margin of error.The most plausible reason for this is that they saw the “Obama” name in the web address that headlined the platform statement and simply supported the “Obama” statement regardless of its substance. In other words, students chose the candidate over the content; they chose personality over platform.

Minority-Related Stressors and Coping Processes Among African American College Students

This study is an investigation of stress and coping among African American students at a predominantly White college/university (PWCU) and a Historically Black College/University (HBCU) and their relationship to academic performance. Participants were 203 African American students (101 from a mid-size predominantly White midwestern state university and 102 from an HBCU located on the East Coast). Perceived stress, minority status stress, and coping behaviors were measured. Multivariate comparisons revealed that African American students on the PWCU campus experienced higher levels of minority status stressors compared to their counterparts at the HBCU. Participants from both universities were generally similar in their use of coping strategies and in their levels of overall perceived stress. An exploratory model and an alternate model of stress and coping processes were tested. Both models highlight the unique contribution of minority status stressors to academic performance.

African American mother-daughter communication about sex and daughters' sexual behavior: Does college racial composition make a difference?

This study examined the influence of African American mothers' communication about sexual topics on the sexual attitudes and behavior of their college-enrolled daughters. Daughters were enrolled at a historically Black college/university (HBCU) or a predominantly White institution (PWI) to assess whether and how college racial context might affect daughters' sexual attitudes and behavior. Findings indicated that daughters at the HBCU had less permissive attitudes about premarital sex than their counterparts at the PWI. This result was especially true for daughters of mothers with more conservative attitudes about premarital sex and who discussed such topics infrequently. Last, the combination of positive mother-daughter communication and fewer discussions about sexual topics resulted in lower levels of sexual experience among the daughters.

Using Focus Groups to Explore the Stressful Life Events of Black College Men

Black students who attend predominately White institutions (PWI) face many obstacles. This study identified the stressful life events of Black college men via focus group discussions and examined how these events impact their mental health and health behaviors. Forty-six participants from a PWI and a historically Black college/university (HBCU) affirmed that they experience similar encounters with stressful life events, but participants at the PWI reported that their major stressors were the result of "school-related" events, while participants at the HBCU reported stressors that were not school-related. Findings from this study present implications for future health promotion programs that target Black college men.

An Examination of the Social Psychology of Blacks’ Consumption of Sport

Black consumers' general sport attendance is relatively poor; however, their attendance at historically Black college/university (HBCU) sport events is noteworthy. The purpose of this study was to examine how factors such as general perception of sport, psychosocial involvement with HBCU sports, and intensity of ethnic identification influenced Black consumers' (n = 278) attendance at HBCU sports and their general/non-HBCU sport consumption patterns. Descriptive statistics revealed that the respondents attended HBCU sports more frequently than they did any other type of sport events and were also avid consumers of televised sports. Multivariate multiple regression analyses revealed that intensity of ethnic identification and psychosocial involvement with HBCU sports significantly influenced HBCU sports attendance frequency. Moreover, psychosocial involvement with HBCU sports exerted a profound and positive influence on general sport consumption. This study offered an examination of the social psychology that may under gird Blacks' consumption of sport.