African American Women Overcome Campus Obstacles (2010)

“The most important thing about education is appetite.” —Winston Churchill Julianne Malveaux. Marvalene Hughes. Shirley Ann Jackson. Beverly Daniel Tatum. Ruth Simmons. Michelle Howard-Vital. Donna H. Oliver. What do these women have in common? All are female African American college presidents with an appetite for education and a collective knowledge of how to prepare the African American student for excellence in a multifaceted society. These and other female African American college presidents shoulder the huge responsibility of being “Madam President” on campuses throughout the country. (Respectively, they lead Bennett College NC, Dillard University LA, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute NY, Spelman College GA, Brown University RI, Cheyney University PA and Mississippi Valley State University.) As Henry (2005) notes, the African American female college presidents “broaden the parameters of higher education, inspire countless students and colleagues and elevate the standards of learning at colleges all across the country.” They are champions and trailblazers in the academy during a time when race and gender are still too often regarded as challenges. But neither their educational achievements nor their professional successes have come without sacrifices. They've overcome insurmountable odds to acquire a formal college education and obtain a seat in the educational “oval office,” gaining access to a domain that once was exclusive to white men. We write this article to spotlight the significant progress of African American women in academia. It examines ways that they have gained access to and in higher education and then focuses on how they have overcome obstacles. When studying Black women it is important to contextualize the framework of their perspectives by comprehensively analyzing the historical components which help identify their thoughts, feelings and experiences.” —Sheila T. Gregory The academy is one of the most fertile environments for shaping and cultivating social and professional development. In this setting, paradigms shift and programs reinvent themselves as people struggle for acceptance, relevance and definition in academia. Both gender stratification and racial identification are salient features that shape America's colleges and universities. As a result, the academy is a site of both struggle and resistance for those confronted with gender bias and race-related issues. Clearly, the tensions inside higher education may be influenced by those vying for validation both inside and outside the academy. Inevitably, these individuals become part of the discourse as well. Although the educational institution is a site of struggle for many, this environment may be especially challenging for people of color. African Americans in particular are confronted with issues directly related to education that are genetically, historically and culturally deep. Because mainstream America resisted the idea of educating people of color in integrated settings, the vast majority of colleges and universities previously denied them admission. But African Americans proved to be resilient. Through their tenacity and connection to the collective community, they rallied together to establish colleges, known collectively as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). As Williams and Ashley (2004) note, the graduates and educators of HBCUs have played an essential role in defining the cultural and political atmosphere of the United States and the world. Even more compelling, they cite the “indispensable role the HBCUs played in the creation of the U.S. public education system and its massive network of institutions of higher learning.” Steeped in rich cultural history and longstanding traditions of excellence, HBCUs emphasize the value of a culturally inclusive educational environment. Since its inception, higher education has become “the way out,” the key to social mobility or “the great leveler.” In a 2010 speech at North Carolina Central University in Durham, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, said “Education is meant to be the great equalizer. It shouldn't matter your race or ZIP code. Equal education is the civil rights fight of our era.” Particularly in the 21st century, African American women have learned the strategic importance of earning a degree in higher education in the context of their current struggles. Still, they face many barriers and challenges when striving for educational success and upward mobility. Dr. Julianne Malveaux, president of Bennett College in Greensboro NC, in 2008 asserted that “It is important to note that race and gender are intertwined for African American women, and that both are determinants in our economic, social, political and educational status.” Even as presidents of colleges and universities, African American women are not insulated from the gender and racial “isms” that taint American society and contaminate its educational systems. Some argue that electing a black President has leveled the playing field or eradicated racism. Although African Americans and other ethnic groups admire President Barack Obama for his decision-making and leadership skills, global vision and strength in adversity, the need for equity and equality in higher education remains. “African American women bring to the academy a rich matri centric tradition of inclusiveness around issues of education and empowerment.” —Lois Benjamin Waring (2003) explored how the interaction of race and gender influenced African American female college presidents' origins and concepts of leadership. She concluded that even with the focus on success and growth, the presidents' primary responsibility was on what education can do for people. Driven by our own personal encounters and successful experiences as African American women teaching at an HBCU, we consider writing this article as much more than just an academic exercise. While many 21st century students come to college as first generation students or from disadvantaged backgrounds, we can never let these facts eclipse what students can achieve as they apply themselves. Our daily interactions with students at Winston-Salem State University, an HBCU founded in 1892, remind us that nurturing young minds is a social responsibility. As facilitators of the learning process, we realize the university's greatest resource is its students. We are sensitive to their academic and cultural needs as students and future leaders. As such, we embrace every opportunity to contribute to the rich educational legacy upon which our school was founded. Equally important, we realize that as African American women and faculty, we must identify and build upon the strengths of our students. Since what we do inside the classroom can make the difference between students' success or failure, we strive to equip students with the tools they need for success in the classroom and beyond. “Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed.” —Booker T. Washington, Up From Slavery (1901) What can be done to address the special challenges facing people of color in higher education? More specifically, what can help African American women to overcome obstacles in their paths that impede their climb to the top of the higher education ladder? We suggest these solutions to old problems as strategies to help schools to find creative and comprehensive ways to help high-achieving African American women take their rightful place in leading the academy and society: “Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave I rise I rise I rise” —Maya Angelou, And Still I Rise (1978) The academy is a wellspring for diverse cultures, behaviors, beliefs, and practices. It is also a battleground for those fighting to move from marginalization to mainstream. If history told of how some academic battlegrounds have become bastions of hope, the trail would include both revered and remote names of African American women. Most earned advanced educational degrees long before people of color at their school represented a critical mass of at least 30% of the student body. Many remaining pedagogical, philosophical and cultural challenges relate to the African American female college presidency. Yet despite frustrations or dissatisfaction with disproportionate representation, the women still persist. Their academic achievements, cultural sensitivity, personal integrity and professional drive put them on the path to becoming African American female college presidents. Now they are uniquely positioned to make a huge contribution to their schools and a difference in the world. Contacts: Montgomerysl@wssu.edu or 336.750.2314 Bradford@wssu.edu or 336.750.2312