Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Academic Success of African American Males in a Historically Black University

  • ARTICLES
  • Published:
Journal of African American Studies Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The present study investigates and identifies the factors that contribute to the academic success of African American males in a historically Black university. Understanding how some African American males succeeded academically might help to inform educational officials about the strategy to assist struggling African American male students. The study was an investigation of lived experiences and motivating factors for the academic success of 10 participants. The findings offer African American males, especially those falling behind academically, an opportunity to discover strategies, tools, and approaches for being academically successful. The findings also indicated that social support, especially familial support, was essential to the academic success of African American males. Other contributing factors were the positive influence of teachers, mentors, and peers, as well as resilience perceived by the participants.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Babbie, E. (2004). Social science research. Belmont, CA: Thomson Learning.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baldwin, J. (1983). Notes of a native son. Boston, MA: Beacon Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bonner, F. A., & Bailey, K. W. (2006). Enhancing the academic climate for African American college men. In M. J. Cuyjet (Ed.), African American men in college (p. 32). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Booker, K. (2006). School belonging and the African American adolescent: what do we know and where should we go? High School Journal, 89(4), 1–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bowser, B. P., & Perkins, H. (1991). Success against the odds: young black men tell what it takes. In B. P. Bowser (Ed.), Black male adolescents: Parenting and education in community context (pp. 183–200). New York: University Press of America.

  • Creswell, J. W. (2007). Qualitative inquiry & research design: choosing among five approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Creswell, J. (2009). Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Los Angeles, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cuyjet, M. J. (2006). African American men in college. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Edwards, R., & Mauthner, M. (2005). Ethics and feminist research: theory and practice. In M. Mauthner, M. Birch, J. Jessop, & T. Miller (Eds.), Ethics in qualitative research (pp. 14–31). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fergus, S., & Zimmerman, M. A. (2005). Adolescent resilience: a framework for understanding healthy development in the face of risk. Annual Review of Public Health, 26, 399–419.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Folger, J. P., Poole, M. S., & Stutman, R. K. (2009). Working through conflict: strategies for relationships, groups, and organizations (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Groenewald, T. (2004). A phenomenological research design illustrated. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 3(1), Article 4 Retrieved February 26, 2017 (http://www.ualberta.ca/~iiqm/backissues/3_1/pdf/groenewald.pdf.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harvey, V. S. (2007). Schoolwide methods for fostering resiliency: support from caring adults is key to students’ success in the face of adversity. Retrieved from National Association of School Psychologists: Retrieved February 26, 2017 (http://www.nasponline.org/resources/principals/schoolresiliency.pdf).

  • Hosseini, S. A., & Besharat, M. A. (2010). Relation of resilience with sport achievement and mental health in a sample of athletes. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 5, 633–638.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hycner, R. H. (1999). Some guidelines for the phenomenological analysis of interview data. In A. Bryman & R. G. Burgess (Eds.), Qualitative research Vol. 3 (pp. 143–164). London: Sage.

  • Jensen, U. (2011). Factors influencing student retention in higher education. Honolulu, HI: Kamehameha Schools, Research & Evaluation Divison Retrieved February 28, 2017 (http://www.ksbe.edu/spi/pdfs/retention_brief.pdf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, E. (2012). The secrets for motivating, educating, and lifting the spirit of African American males. Bloomington, IN: iUniverse.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, S. (n.d.). Mark Kula center for applied ethics: an education in ethics. Santa Clara University Retrieved February 28, 2017 (http://www.scu.edu/ethics/publications/iie/v10n1/education.html.

  • Jordan, W. J., & Cooper, R. (2002). Cultural issues related to high school reform: deciphering the case of Black males. Baltimore, MD: Center for Research on the Education of Students Placed At Risk, Johns Hopkins University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Khumoetsile-Taylor, P. K. (2002). Affirmative action and equal opportunity policy. Boston, MA: Bunker Hill Community College Retrieved February 28, 2017 (http://www.bhcc.mass.edu/PDFs/TFOTHigherEducAfricanAmeric.pdf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klem, A. M., & Connell, J. P. (2004). Relationships matter: linking teacher support to student engagement and achievement. Journal of School Health, 74(7), 262–273.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, J. M., & Ransom, T. (2011). The educational experience of young men of color: a review of research, pathways and progress. New York, NY: College Board Advocacy & Policy Center Retrieved March 02, 2017 (http://youngmenofcolor.collegeboard.org/sites/default/files/downloads/EEYMC-ResearchReport.pdf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, J., & Hilgendorf, A. (2011). Social support for academic success of African American boys. Retrieved from University of Wisconsin-Madison, Center for Nonprofits: Retrieved March 02, 2017 (http://centerfornonprofits.wisc.edu/scholars/documents/LewisSocialSupportforAcademicSuccessofAfricanAmericanBoys.pdf).

  • Lewis, S., Simon, C., Uzzell, R., Horwitz, A., & Casserly, M. (2010). A call for change: the social and educational factors contributing to the outcomes of Black males in urban schools. Retrieved from Council of the Great City Schools: Retrieved March 04, 2017 (http://www.cgcs.org/cms/lib/DC00001581/Centricity/Domain/27/Call_For_Change.pdf).

  • Moustakas, C. (1994). Phenomenological research methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Noguera, P. A. (2008). The trouble with Black boys and other reflections on race, equity, and the future of public education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Obama, B. H. (2013). Transcript: President Obama addresses race, profiling and Florida law. Retrieved from CNN: Retrieved March 02, 2017 (http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/19/politics/obama-zimmerman-verdict).

  • Parker, P. J. (2002). Resilient African-American high-school graduates: individual, familial, and community factors that have contributed to their academic success. (doctoral dissertation). Available from ProQuest dissertations and theses. (No. 251693093).

  • Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research & evaluation methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reynolds, A. L., Sneva, J. N., & Beehler, G. P. (2010). The influence of racism-related stress on the academic motivation of Black and Latino/a students. Journal of College Student Development, 51(2), 135–149.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Richards, K. (2007). A phenomenological study of African American male scholars. Dissertation Abstracts International, A: The Humanities and Social Sciences, 0729-0729. Retrieved from Proquest Dissertation and Theses.

  • Rolland, D. E. (2010). Reality check: a theological perspective of the African-American family. Pittsburgh, PA: RoseDog Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rubin, H. J., & Rubin, I. S. (2005). Qualitative interviewing: the art of hearing data. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Sellers, K. (2011). National graduation rate rebounds; 1.2 million students still fail to earn diplomas. Education Week, Editorial Projects in Education Research Center. Retrieved March 02, 2017 (http://www.edweek.org/media/diplomascount2011_pressrelease.pdf).

  • Steppes, A. V. (2012). A phenomenological study of urban African American males who aspire to attend a four-year university. Dissertation Abstracts International Section A: Humanities and Social Sciences, 4436–4436.

  • Tauber, R. T. (1997). Self-fulfilling prophecy: a practical guide to its use in education. Westport, CT: Praeger.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, D. L., Smith, C. D., Marks, B. T., & Crosby, B. (2012). Institutional identity and self-esteem among African-American males in college. Journal of African American Males in Education, 3(1), 1–11.

    Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Census Bureau. (2011). Educational attainment in the United States: 2011: detailed tables, Black alone. Retrieved March 02, 2017 http://www.census.gov/hhes/socdemo/education/data/cps/2011/tables.html

    Google Scholar 

  • Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). In M. Cole, V. John-Steiner, S. Scribner, & E. Souberman (Eds.), Mind in society: the development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • West, C. (2001). Race matters. Boston, MA: Vintage Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • White, H. E. (2009). Increasing the achievement of African American males. Research Brief, 3. Virginia Beach City Public Schools, Department of Research, Evaluation, and Assessment. Retrieved March 02, 2017 (http://www.vbschools.com/accountability/research_briefs/aamalebrieffinalamarch.pdf).

  • Williams, J. M. (2011). Home, school, and community factors that contribute to the educational resilience of urban African American high school graduates from low-income, single-parent families. (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest Digital Dissertations. (No. 3473258).

  • Zimmerman, M. A. (2013). Resiliency theory: a strengths-based approach to research and practice for adolescent health. Health Education & Behavior: The Official Publication of the Society for Public Health Education, 40(4), 381–383.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 105 Gimlet Drive, Madison, AL, 35756, USA

    Freeman Raymond Irvine III

Authors
  1. Freeman Raymond Irvine III
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Appendix

Appendix

Interview Protocol

Date:

Time of interview:

Location:

Pseudonym:

Interview Questions

  1. 1.

    To begin, briefly provide a detail about yourself.

  2. 2.

    Did your neighborhood or community influence your academic success or academic ambitions? Please explain.

  3. 3.

    What are some factors that contribute to your academic success? Please elaborate.

  4. 4.

    Did you have any positive mentors in your life? If yes, how have they contributed to your high academic attainment?

  5. 5.

    How did your peer groups influence your academic choices and attainment? Please elaborate.

  6. 6.

    What role did family support play in the achievement of your academic success? Please elaborate.

  7. 7.

    Did religion, religious institutions, or your spirituality have an impact on your academic success? If so, please elaborate.

  8. 8.

    What are some of the trials and/or obstacles you overcame to become academically successful? Please elaborate.

  9. 9.

    How did you cope with these trials or obstacles in the process of trying to be academically successful? Please elaborate.

  10. 10.

    Did your background influence your efforts to graduate from high school and secure admission into college? Please elaborate.

  11. 11.

    What are your recommendations that could be done to help more African American males to be academically successful? Please elaborate.

  12. 12.

    What recommendations could you give to help other African American males on their pursuit of high educational attainment? Please elaborate.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Irvine, F.R. Academic Success of African American Males in a Historically Black University. J Afr Am St 23, 203–216 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12111-019-09434-w

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12111-019-09434-w

Keywords

Search

Navigation