Theorizing the Involvement Experiences of Black Women in Historically White Student Organizations

Abstract

The purpose of this research article is to provide an examination of the structures and practices of historically White student organizations (HWSOs). Examined through the lens of Black feminist thought (BFT), this article offers a critical analysis of the gendered racial encounters and interactions of Black women in historically White campus involvement spaces. This article critiques the structure and environments of HWSOs by centering the lived experiences of Black undergraduate women who were members of HWSOs. Categorized through BFT’s matrix of domination, participants’ narratives are juxtaposed among the four domains (structural domain, discplinary domain, hegemonic domain, and the interpersonal domain) outlined by Patricia Hill Collins. The experiences of Black women who were involved in HWSOs describe the nature and forms of oppression Black collegiate women encountered in HWSOs at one, historically White university in the Southeastearn region of the United States.