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The Urban Review

, Volume 49, Issue 4, pp 668–691 | Cite as

Afro-Caribbean Immigrant Faculty Experiences in the American Academy: Voices of an Invisible Black Population

  • Dave A. Louis
  • Keisha V. Thompson
  • Patriann Smith
  • Hakim Mohandas Amani Williams
  • Juann Watson
Article
First Online:

Abstract

Afro-Caribbean immigrants have been an integral part of the history and shaping of the United States since the early 1900s. This current study explores the experiences of five Afro-Caribbean faculty members at traditionally White institutions of higher education. Despite the historical presence and influence of Afro-Caribbean communities and the efforts within education systems to address the needs of Afro-Caribbean constituents, Afro-Caribbean faculty members continue to be rendered indiscernible in higher education and to be frequently and erroneously perceived as African–Americans. The study examines the lived experiences of these individuals in the hegemonic White spaces they occupy at their institutions with both White and Black populations. Through their narratives, issues of stereotyping, microaggression, and isolation are addressed. The participants also offer solutions to address these issues by university administrators, department heads, faculty development professionals, diversity officers, policy makers, and other stakeholders. The voices in this study shed light on an overlooked, misunderstood, and under-researched population within our faculty ranks in the American Academy.

Keywords

Afro-Caribbean Black faculty Microaggression Caribbean immigrants 
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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2017

Authors and Affiliations

  • Dave A. Louis
    • 1
  • Keisha V. Thompson
    • 2
  • Patriann Smith
    • 1
  • Hakim Mohandas Amani Williams
    • 3
  • Juann Watson
    • 2
  1. 1.Texas Tech UniversityLubbockUSA
  2. 2.Kingsborough Community CollegeBrooklynUSA
  3. 3.Gettysburg CollegeGettysburgUSA

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