The intersection of race and gender in school leadership for three Black female principals

Abstract

Using four assumptions of Black feminism, this qualitative study describes the practice of three African-American female principals in predominantly African-American, urban high schools. First, in general, the principals seemed to understand their experiences as part of a larger historical context. Second, given the shared racial and gender identities, the principals described several commonalities within their lived experience. Third, differences in age and context affected the leadership practices and experiences encountered by these principals. Fourth, the principals exhibited a non-monolithic response to the identification of injustice and oppression. Further, while the principals all seemed to understand the various injustices that existed within their educational setting, they tended to respond in more tempered radical ways.

Keywords:

• Black women principals
• women principals
• race and gender intersectionality