The Lived Experiences of Black Women Tenured and Tenure-Track Faculty in Business Schools at Predominantly White Institutions

Changing college-student demographics and the diversification of higher education requires an understanding of Black women’s experiences. Their visibility adds value to all higher education stakeholders and mobilizes students of color beyond the margins (Hasnas, 2018; Vargas, 1999). Researchers reported that Black women faculty have trouble offering the academy their unique perspectives due to isolation and tokenism (Diggs, Garrison-Wade, Estrada, & Galindo, 2009; Niemann, 2016). As a result, a further exploration of their experiences and a further examination of their perspectives are necessary from their points of view. While an abundance of research is available on the lived experiences of Black women faculty at predominantly White institutions (Alfred, 2001; Gregory, 2001; Hinton, 2010; Jones, Hwang, & Bustamante, 2015), limited research has examined the business education context (Toubiana, 2014). The current study illuminated the voices of Black women tenured and tenure-track faculty in business schools at predominantly White institutions.

This critical, phenomenological qualitative research study had a twofold purpose. First, it explored the lived experiences of Black women tenured and tenure-track faculty in business schools at predominantly White institutions through the framework of Black feminist thought. This lens captured study participants’ collective voice while acknowledging the diverse perspectives of individuals whose standpoints are not often illuminated (Collins, 1990, 2000, 2016). Secondly, this research offered institutional and business-education stakeholders—such as deans, department heads, and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)—greater awareness and recommendations to support Black women faculty’s recruitment, retention, and overall success.

Keywords: Black, Black feminist thought, faculty, intersectionality, predominantly White institution, professor, tenured, tenure-track, woman