Success in the Shadows: (Counter) Narratives of Achievement from Black Scholar Athletes at a Historically Black College/University

Abstract

The current study incorporated an anti-deficit achievement framework [Harper, S. R. (2012). Black male student success in higher education: A report from the National Black Male College Achievement Study. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania, Center for the Study of Race and Equity in Education.] and a critical race methodology [Solórzano, D., & Yosso, T. (2002). Critical race methodology: Counter-storytelling as an analytical framework for education research. Qualitative Inquiry, 8(1), 23–44] to examine the experiences and perceptions of achievement among Black scholar athletes at a Division I historically Black college/university (HBCU). Two focus group interviews and six in-depth individual interviews were conducted with eight Black scholar athletes. An eight-item demographic questionnaire was also administered to ascertain information about the participants’ personal backgrounds. Specific influences such as familial factors, college classroom experiences, out-of-class engagement in college, and enriching educational experiences in college were examined. The following emergent themes were identified: (a) “I Felt More Comfortable at a HBCU,” (b) “Here, They Do Care,” (c) “Being an Athlete has Kept Me Focused,” (d) “I'm Glad I Came Here,” and (e) “You Have to Want to Be Successful.” Implications for postsecondary institutions seeking to enhance the educational experiences for Black student athletes are discussed.

keywords:

• Black scholar athletes
• academic achievement
• historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU)
• anti-deficit achievement framework
• critical race methodology

Notes

1 The terms Black and African American will be used interchangeably throughout the article.

2 To insure the anonymity of the institutions, participants, hometowns, and nationalities in this study, pseudonyms were assigned throughout the manuscript.

3 Primary researcher refers to the first author.

4 Pseudonyms were used throughout the results section for participant's names and specific references such as hometown, nationality, and institutional references.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Joseph N. Cooper

Notes on contributor

Joseph N. Cooper is an Assistant Professor at the University of Connecticut in the Department of Educational Leadership (Sport Management Program). His research focuses on the intersection of race, sport, culture, and education. His current research agenda examines the holistic college experiences of Black student athletes in different postsecondary contexts.

Jewell E. Cooper

Jewell E. Cooper is an Associate Professor in the Teacher Education and Higher Education Department at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). Her research areas include equity education, more specifically community-based learning, culturally responsive teaching, and teacher development.