Running, running the show: Supporting the leadership development of Black girls in middle school

Abstract

Black girls have been at the forefront of educational change as leaders who “run the show” throughout history yet their unique contributions are missing from books and classroom materials, and their perspectives excluded from definitions of leadership. To address these deficits, we interviewed 21 Black girls enrolled in a summer program in a mid-sized Southern city individually and in focus groups about their knowledge of Black women leaders and definitions of leadership. Using narrative analysis, we analyzed the individual and focus group interviews. Knowledge of Black female leaders ranged from 0 to 4 with the majority (11; 52%) listing 1. Definitions of leadership aligned with identity developmental questions of “Who am I?” and “How do I fit in?” Being a leader involved making positive life choices for staying on the right path, even if that path differed from their peers, and emphasized that leaders support other Black girls. Suggestions as well as a list of ten guiding questions to help researchers, policymakers and practitioners continue to support developing Black girl leaders in middle school are provided.

Keywords:

• Black girls
• early adolescence
• leadership

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the program leader in this study for her contributions of time and thought to this research. We would also like to thank all of the students who were willing to share their knowledge and perceptions of school.

Notes

¹ All names have been changed to pseudonyms.

Additional information

Funding

The authors would like to acknowledge support from the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, through Grant [#R305B140026] to the Rectors and Visitors of the University of Virginia. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not represent views of the U.S. Department of Education.

Notes on contributors

Lauren C. Mims

Lauren C. Mims, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at Ball State University. Her work explores how social environments influence how Black girls learn, interact, and define their identities in early adolescence. E-mail: [email protected]

Cierra Kaler-Jones

Cierra Kaler-Jones, M.A., is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Teaching and Learning, Policy & Leadership at the University of Maryland - College Park. Her work examines how Black girls use arts-based practices, such as movement and music, as forms of expression, resistance, and identity development. E-mail: [email protected]