Digital Commons Network^™

The Perceptions Of Black Teachers Regarding The Work Environment In Predominately White Schools P-12, Rhonda Lankford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study examined the experiences of Black teachers in predominately White P-12 schools, and focused on examining the external and internal challenges that Black teachers face who work in predominately White schools. Voices are sometimes ignored or muted in a society dominated by the majority White culture. This study will allow readers to experience the narratives of Black educators who work in these environments. The educators selected for this study were purposefully chosen from predominately White school districts. The researcher interviewed each subject in a semi-structured interview environment to gather data. Results of interviews lead to the emergence of …

Social Support In Black Individuals: The Moderating Effects On The Relationship Between Resilience And Well-Being, Imani Elise Crosby

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Black individuals possess numerous strengths and positive contributions that build strong communities and cultivate psychological well-being (Biglan et al., 2012). However, much of the current literature focuses on hardships Black individuals face, skewing the larger discourse of their lived experience. This exclusive focus on adversity often neglects pathways by which Black people thrive and flourish. It is important to consider how Black experiences relate to a sense of well-being. Resilience, or the ability to “bounce back” from adverse experiences is linked well-being outcomes (APA, 2012). However, it is unknown whether the promotive effects of resilience directly contribute to well-being outcomes …

The Influence Of Power On Racial Identity And Social Power: Learning While A Minority In A Bullitt County High School In Kentucky., Michele Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to examine the influence of power on racial identity and social awareness of minority high schools’ students in Bullitt County, Kentucky. The research will come from the student perspective of those attending high school with students predominantly from another racial background. Using purposeful sampling, 12 students participated in semi-structured interviews, providing insight into three research questions regarding racial identity, social power, and social awareness. Student participants used their voice to share their lived educational experiences attending school with students from another racial background. Interviews were transcribed, coded and analyzed using In Vivo and …

The Relationship Between High School Stem Courses And Students Attending Low-Income Schools' College Major And Career Choices: A Social Cognitive Perspective., Don Bacon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education has received significant attention in the United States since the Space Race with Russia beginning in the 1950s. Most recently, STEM education has received national attention because of the scarcity of qualified STEM graduates taking on the growing number of STEM jobs in the United States. Additionally, an issue exists within STEM college majors and careers, a lack of Black, Latinx, and female students are pursuing these fields hurting the overall number of STEM college students and career holders and negatively impacts the diversity within STEM fields in the United States. The purpose …

Implementing Culturally Relevant Pedagogies For Black Students Through Targeted Professional Learning Communities, Willie Reece

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This action research emphasizes the need to implement curricula to engage marginalized students as well as promote literacy and high levels of academic achievement. Marginalized students include minority students who perform far below their White peers on state assessments. In Chapter I, the action research problem of practice is explored. The major issues at Genesis Elementary School are revealed, and they are targeted through culturally relevant pedagogies. Chapter II outlines relevant literature related to the research topic, and the researchers provide frameworks to guide the study. Chapter III focuses on the preparation and implementation of the action plan for the …

Does Teacher Bias Increase Referral Of Blacks To Special Education For A Reading Disability?, Blade Wise Perry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research shows that Black students are over-represented in special education for a reading disability based on the inaccuracy of teacher referrals. Teachers' accuracy in referring Black students to special education for a reading disability is not an extensively researched area. This study aims to determine if teachers' biases and attitudes toward Black students impacted their ability to accurately make a special education referral for a reading disability for this population of students. For this study, teachers completed a questionnaire, cultural competence self-assessment checklist, four vignettes, and a post-vignette question to determine if their personal biases and attitudes impacted their willingness …

Perceptions Of Sexual Refusals: Not So Black And White, Lavina Ying Ho

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sexual assault is an issue affecting approximately 1 in 5 women. Compared to White women, Black women report higher rates of lifetime rape, are at risk of developing physical/mental health issues post-assault (e.g., depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and substance abuse), and are less likely to engage in help-seeking after sexual victimization. Research reveals the manner in which a woman refuses a sexual advance can influence a man’s perceptions of the genuineness of her refusal. Sexual refusals that are explicit (e.g., not wanting to have sex due to religious beliefs) are identified more quickly as violating a woman’s boundaries than sexual …

The Reading Of Sir Toby Belch: A Queer And Black Exploration Of William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night., Jahi E Bogard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This MFA thesis explores queer, black representation in William Shakespeare’s drama and in the University of Louisville’s Department of Theatre Arts Fall 2021 production of an adaption of Twelfth Night (1601). Directed by Jennifer Pennington, the repurposed script and non-traditional casting targeted a modern audience. Cast as Olivia’s drunk uncle, Sir Toby Belch, I aimed to discover if my identify as a black, queer, cis man could be incorporated into Shakespeare’s text. Sir Toby Belch’s raucous, heterosexual, and sometimes violent, traits are often imagined today as innately masculine. I argue that Shakespeare’s plays can be appropriated by queer, black actors …

Black Women Burdening: The Process Of "Unburdening" Realism In Dennis Mcintyre's Split Second., Brandi L. Threatt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Black women who dramatize reality can experience a transference of burdens if realistic plays reflect their lived experiences. Burdens affect truthful character development and impact the mental, emotional, physical, social and spiritual well-being of Black actresses. This thesis will use the Fall 2021 University of Louisville production of Dennis McIntyre’s Split Second as a case study. Gender and Race studies along with an auto-ethnographic research approach will be used to examine how my portrayal of Alea in Split Second contributed to Black Woman Burdening, a phrase I created to examine how Black fatigue can negatively and specifically affect Black women …

A Qualitative Grounded Theory Study Of Black Canadian Mental Health Service Use, Renee Taylor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Black Canadians are less likely than White Canadians to willingly use mental health services despite the social and economic challenges we experience that negatively affect our mental health. It has been found that Eurocentric theoretical models of psychological help-seeking do not adequately explain how Black Canadians decide whether or not to use mental health services.

Research Question: How do Black Canadians decide whether we want to seek help from a mental health professional?Purpose: Generate a theory of psychological help-seeking that is empirically grounded in data collected from a diverse sample of Black Canadians.

Methods: I employed the Corbin and …

Exploring The Impact Of The Achievement Gap On Shame And Resilience In African American College Students, Brittany R. Thomas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The achievement gap refers to the stark difference that occurs between racial or gender groups, as one group performs significantly higher than the other. An achievement gap has the propensity to produce psychological distress, as well as buffering techniques that are necessary for survival and success. Growing research shows that African American college students experience unique levels of trauma, shame, hardship, macro, and micro-aggressions, suggesting that these students learn to self-preserve as early as 10 years old. This study used a Pearson correlation, Independent T-Test, and a Moderated Multiple Regression to explore the impact of the achievement gap on shame …

Exploratory Look Into The Impact Of Race On Response Dynamics While Categorizing Stereotypical Black Names And Stereotypical White Names Via Mouse Movements, Taylor Clark

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Racial bias (especially in the context of Black people) in society is as prevalent as ever. Because of this, scientists have developed various ways to measure racial bias against Black people. I propose that mouse tracking is a tool that can be used to predict racially biased behavior accurately. The overall purpose of this exploratory study was to use mouse tracking to investigate whether race impacts participants' mouse movements when categorizing stereotypically sounding Black and White names. As well as to see if participants consistently categorize Black and White names. This experiment showed a significant difference in the number of …

The Black Petromodernism Of Zora Neale Hurston: Energy, Race, And Mobility, Stuart Mullet

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis situates Zora Neale Hurston and the folk communities in her oeuvre within the context of modernity’s dependencies on fossil fuels. Such a disciplinary context provides an energy footing for our understandings of African American migrations in the twentieth century—which radically transformed the nation on multiple levels—and it illuminates the communal values that undergird Black approaches to petromodern forms of mobility. Furthermore, by engaging the Black spaces of the South, my argument begins filling a gap in the energy humanities. Few scholars in this field engage deeply those populations and regions that disproportionately experience the underbelly of petromodernity and …

A King's Royal Scars., Xavier Mikal Harris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This monograph is divided into five chapters covering my exploration of black male identity in America and the scars that come with it. Through a character study of the black male protagonist I portrayed in August Wilson’s King Hedley II, I will discuss the racial stigmas and circumstances that are tied to black male identity. Chapter one will consist of analyzing the prison system in America and how its unfair system targets black men. Chapter two will discuss the plight of poverty that largely affects black communities. Chapters three and four will discuss King Hedley’s dual identities created by …

A Power Man’S Theology: Marvel’S Luke Cage And Black Liberation Theology, Diarron B. Morrison

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Netflix released Marvel’s Luke Cage in 2016 to critical acclaim. Born from a 1970s comic book, the series features Luke Cage, an African-American superhero. Cage is a big, bald, bulletproof black man. Instead of tights and a cape, Cage wears a hoodie calling the audience to remember Trayvon Martin and other victims of white racism. Theologian James Cone created Black Liberation Theology in the 1970s. As a result of Cone’s work, Black Liberation Theology addresses the issue of white racism from a theological standpoint. In this thesis I present a close reading of Marvel’s Luke Cage using Black Liberation Theology …

Fatal Attraction : Intimate Partner Violence Among Black Lgbtq Relationships., Amberli A. Seay

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Social workers play a pivotal role in intervening in instances of intimate partner violence. It is imperative that social work intervention education is relevant, competent and inclusive. In this study, a content analysis is conducted on the true-crime documentary series, Fatal Attraction. Fatal Attraction targets Black audiences and sheds light on Black victim-survivors and perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV). The documentaries in this series act as a resource to understanding representation and treatment of Black LGBTQ. The following research questions are explored and discussed: 1. To what degree are Black LGBTQ victims and perpetrators of IPV represented in media? …

Student Voices: African American High School Seniors' Perception Of Culturally Responsive Teaching., Whitney M. Stewart

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examined African-American high school seniors’ perceptions of culturally responsive teaching in one public high school within a large urban public-school district in the southeastern region of the United States. It begins with a brief historical overview on the plight of African-Americans in the US public education system and how public school educators have failed to leverage Afrocultural learning orientations as an asset to educate and increase the academic achievement of African-American students in classrooms. The Philosophical Aspects of Cultural Difference Framework (Nichols, 1986, 1995) will guide this dissertation study. The latter part of the dissertation reveals that a …

Counter Narratives: A Phenomenological Study Of High Achieving African American Male High School Students., De'nay Lanise Speaks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examined the contributing factors to the success of high achieving African American male high school students who attend an all-male, predominantly Black, college-preparatory academy. The study took place in an urban, Midwestern school district and highlighted the lived experience and perspectives of students who have at least a 3.0 grade point average. Through the lens of Critical Race Theory, this study was an effort to bring attention to counter narratives to the otherwise deleterious image portrayed of African American males. The history and plight of the African American male is included to provide a comprehensive understanding of the …

The Myth Of Promiscuity: Examining Black Male Sexual Narratives And Sexual Identity, Seth Young

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Black masculinity and sexuality are common topics across areas of philosophy, psychology, cultural studies and others. Yet, these topics are dedicated to the racial narrative of hypersexual Black male, the sexual objectification of Black men, and their presumed promiscuity. While such topics are important, there is little qualitative research that looks at the complexity and emotionality of African American men’s sexual experiences. Using the theoretical research on black masculinity and sexuality as its backdrop, this dissertation explores how heterosexual, African American men experience their sexuality. The study incorporates narrative inquiry and in-depth, semi-structured interviews to gather stories of five African …

"Traditioning" Blackness: A Theo-Ethical Analysis Of Black Identity In Black Theological Discourse, Ben Sanders Iii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The emergence of James Cone's black liberation theology in the late-1960s and early 1970s marked both a radical challenge to and a historical transformation of the fields of religious and theological studies. Building on Cone's work, black theological discourse has developed a rich tradition of religious and academic inquiry characterized by its commitment to interpreting Christianity in particular, and religious experience more broadly, from the vantage point of oppressed black people. This dissertation shows that James Cone developed a particular understanding of black identity in his early works and, furthermore, that various scholars have critically engaged this conception of black …

"A Part Of, Rather Than Apart From" : Louisville's Black Arts Scene In The Mid-Twentieth Century., Wesley Sawyer Cunningham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the role that three predominantly black art organizations – Gallery Enterprises, the Louisville Arts Workshop, and the West Side Players – played in Louisville, Kentucky’s black community during the mid-twentieth century. Working from the integrated and cooperative nature of the long Black Freedom Struggle in Louisville, Kentucky, local black artists formed integrated organizations around the arts and promoted black identity, inclusivity and creativity through community-building and consciousness-raising. Furthermore, by defining the varying uses of the term “political” in reference to black art, this work shows that the politicization of artwork can best be understood using a spectrum …

The Process Of Empathetic Bonding With Berniece Charles., Candice Renee Handy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The rehearsal process of theatre art entails several steps leading up to performance. Traditionally, the ensemble will discuss together what is needed to produce the theatrical piece, the director will work with each scene individually, and eventually the ensemble will be able to perform the entire piece, with only polishing left to do before performance. This process varies depending on the type of genre that will be performed. The rehearsal process to produce plays that are written with realistic settings and plot lines often, but not always, involve these steps. In order for this process to be productive, as an …

"That Was The Day Them Folks Was Like, We Ain't Afraid No More" A Community Case Study Of The Ferguson Uprising, Brent Patrick Taylor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Ferguson Uprising was ignited by the August 2014 police killing of a Black teen in a St. Louis, Missouri suburb. In order to understand the Uprising, a community case study method is utilized which combines an analysis of the historical, political and economic context of Ferguson and North St. Louis County with an interpretive phenomenological analysis of interviews with 10 Ferguson area residents who participated in the Uprising. The study began by asking why such a militant uprising occurred in Ferguson. Through a reflexive process the study expanded to ask questions about the meanings community members held of the …

The Lived Experience Of Black Nurse Faculty In Predominately White Schools Of Nursing, Lisa Whitfield-Harris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Diversity in the United States (US) has been increasing at a rapid rate. Concerns regarding the healthcare outcomes of minority patients and the success rates of minority students have been documented during the past decade. In addition, recruitment and attrition rates of minority nurse faculty increased over this same period. While discrimination, little opportunity for tenure and promotion, and isolation have been issues noted in previous literature regarding Black faculty, research on these topics is lacking. Therefore, a hermeneutic phenomenology study was conducted to explore the meaning of the lived experience of Black nurse faculty employed in predominately White schools …

Standing In The Intersection : Using Photovoice To Understand The Lived Experience Of Black Gay College Students Attending Predominantly White Postsecondary Institutions., Erica Caton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The intersection of multiple oppressed identities is characterized by the compounded effects of victimization, intimidation and continued marginalization by dominant culture groups in society. Despite a growing body of knowledge about the individual experiences of racial and sexual minorities, there remains a lack of understanding of the unique life experiences of individuals with intersecting oppressed identities, specifically Black gay youth. Failure or inability to recognize, understand and take action in response to the needs of Black gay youth in college, perpetuates a culture of oppression that compromises the physical and mental well-being, and the academic success of these students. Engaging …

An Analysis Of Principals' And Teachers' Perceptions Of The Academic Impact Of 15 Social Perceptions Faced By Black Males, Janice Marie Epperson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

When presented with 15 social perceptions, teachers differed in the extent to which they ranked such perceptions as having the most and least impact on Black male students' learning as well in the extent to which they judged these perceptions to be subject to correction. Across all repsondents, the perceptions deemed most negative concerned Black males' reputed propensity for violence and disruption, while those deemed least negative concerned Black male' alleged tendency to be more church-and -religion-oriented than their peers, as well as their reutation for being more athletically gifted than their peers. In terms of these perceptions being correctable, …

How Does Your Garden Grow: How Planting Seeds Of Hope Inspire A Community Of Gifted African-American Learners To Flourish In An Early Childhood Setting, Danielle Elaine Macneal-Harris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

"Knowledge is like a garden: if it is not cultivated, it cannot be harvested"

-African Proverb

Each day, African-American children are rarely given the opportunity to reach their full potential and flourish in American school systems. There continues to be a disparity in the number of African-Americans in the gifted population. When identified early, and with appropriate educational opportunities, young, culturally diverse gifted learners will be more likely to have long-term educational success. By utilizing an educational criticism methodology, this study discusses the importance of gifted education for African-American, early childhood students, by answering the question, how does The Hope …

Revisiting The Pass: An Examination Of Identity Management Strategies Of Black Queer Women In The South, Claudia Shunta Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

How do historically shaped and culturally specific identity managment strategies of Black queer women in the South inform levels of disclosure about their stigmatized identities? How does racial socialization and racial identity shape the ways that Black queer women experience their sexualities? How do these strategies impact Black queer women's experiences in the workplace context? I utilized an intersectional methodological approach to analyze nine in-depth interviews with self-identified Black queer women in Memphis, TN. Respondents reported gender and sexual identity policing throughout their maturation from childhood to adulthood, feelings of isolation or perceived difference, and salient experiences with respect to …

Are You My Brother's Keeper: Challenging The Systemic Racism That Fosters Low Expectations For Black Males In Public Schools, Shana Denise Nelson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation in practice investigates the problem of systemic racism fostering a culture of low expectations for Black males in public schools. This work frames this problem as a matter of social justice and utilizes Critical Race Theory to examine how it robs Black males of their academic potential. This work argues that to address this problem, educators must engage in learning opportunities that help to identify and challenge their race-based assumptions and stereotypes, develop their racial consciousness, cultural competencies, and professional practices, and recognize, interrupt, and address systemic racism. Provided is a working agenda that offers recommendations for how …

Signs Of Blackness., William Fitzgerald Flood 1980-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The life of an African American male homosexual artist, making his way in the theatre of America, is one of paradox. It is comprised of a litany of limited choices which also stay in flux. Yet in this void of choice, one must find a way to stay true to oneself, his racial heritage, and sexual/spiritual core. An artist of color, he must try to maintain this firm foundation while working as a commercial artist in the white supremacist, patriarchal, capitalistic, hetero-normative culture that is the American theatre. The signs of blackness that are intended, given, and received by my …