1. LIVING LEGACIES: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY OF FOUR AFRICAN
AMERICAN MALE EDUCATIONAL LEADERS AT A HISTORICALLY BLACK
COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY IN TEXAS
A Proposal Defense
by
Mary Ann Springs
William Allan Kritsonis, PhD – Dissertation Chair
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2. I. Purpose of the Study
II. Research Questions
III. Significance of the Study
IV. Review of Literature
V. Research Design
VI. Data Analysis
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3. The purpose of this study will be to give voice
to four African American male educational
leaders, by conducting a phenomenological
research study that will examine the
emergence of educational leadership as
perceived, experienced and exercised by
African American male administrators of a
Historically Black College and University
(HBCU) in Southwest Texas
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4. 1. What critical moments in history have
impacted the educational leadership style(s) of
four African-American male educational
leaders from a Southwestern Historically Black
College and University?
2. How has leadership style(s) evolved over the
past three decades for four African American
male educational leaders from a Southwestern
Historically Black College and University?
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5. 3. Which leaders from the past have left an
impression on four African-American male
educational leaders from a Southwestern
Historically Black College and University?
4. In the face of social, political, and racial
adversities, what influenced the decisions for
four African American male educational leaders
at a Southwestern Historically Black College
and University?
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6. 5. How has the leadership influence of four
senior leaders helped in the mentoring of
African American male students?
6. How has the leadership of four senior African
American male educational leaders influenced
the need for mentorship programs, policies that
would promote African American leadership,
and the recruitment of more African American
male leaders in the future?
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7.  To foster the meaningful paternal relationships
from senior educational leaders to succeeding
generations
 To teach and share leadership characteristics
with young male youth of all backgrounds
 To encourage African American males to
complete graduation
 To inspire and motivate African American males
aspiring leadership positions in public and
higher education
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8.  Critical Race Theory
 Resilience Theory
 A Historical Perspective of Black Education/HBCU’s
 Critical Moments in African American History
 African American Leadership from the Past
 Black Faculty and Administrators in Higher Education
 The Significance of Mentorship for African American
Males
 Risk Factors that Threaten African American Male
Youth
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 CRT seeks to expose racial and discriminatory
practices that negatively impact marginalized
groups (Bell, 1995 & Delgado, 1999)
 Delgado’s Centrality of Race- examines the
impact of racism (Lee, 2008)

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 Seeks to identify factors that contribute to the rise and
success of individuals experiencing oppression
(Zimmerman, Ramaires-Valles, & Maton, 1999)
 The utilization of skills, abilities, knowledge, and insight
that develops over a period of time, as people struggle
to surmount adversity to meet challenges (Reivich &
Shatte, 2002; Van Breda, 2001)
 The Protective Stabilizing model involves protective
factors that help neutralize the risk of negative outcomes
(Zimmerman, et al).

11.  Grew-out of the aftermath of slavery and used as a tool
to transition young black youth from slavery to
mainstream society (Slavery and the Civil War, 2009)
 Viewed as the key for social, political, and economical
mobility for Blacks (DuBois, 1903/2003)
 Placed under the jurisdiction of the state and local
government (Woolfork, 1986)
 Funded by the government, White Philanthropists, and
the Black community (DuBois, 1903/2003; Jackson,
2007; & Woolfork, 1986)
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12.  Valued/supported by the African American community,
who believed they served as the path to overcoming
political, social, and economic inequality (Jackson, 2007;
Woolfork, 1986)
 HBCU’s contribute a significant number of African
American graduates and professionals (Bennett & Yu Xie,
2003)
 Recruit, nurture, and retain a reasonable amount of their
graduates and provide an educational environment that
promotes trust and security (Bennett & Yu Xie, 2003)
 Have greater success in promoting race pride, African
American history, and social interactions (Bennett & Yu
Xie, 2003)
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13.  Black leaders rose to power out of duty to their
race; they were undermined politically and had
little or no protection under the law; the Jim
Crow Laws perpetuated racism and
discrimination especially in the South (DuBois,
1903/2003).
 Black Power/The Civil Rights Movements were
the reprise to political, social, and economical
injustice. The movements were organized by
African American male leaders (Berry, 2001;
Biographical profiles, 2010; Herton, 2006).
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14.  During slavery, many African American families
were separated, therefore, leaving single
mothers with the burden of leadership in a
paternalistic society (DuBois, 1903/2003).
 The Black family and community became
strong social networks that promoted
spirituality and protection through the church
(DuBois , 1903/2003; Woodson, 1933/2005).
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15.  According to Biographical Profiles,
African American male national leaders
approached leadership from two
dominant perspectives in how they would
lead the African American community:
 Activism through non-violence
/accommodation, while exposing the
horrors of racism/inequality (Fredrick
Douglass, Booker T. Washington, and Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.)
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16.  Nationalism (building race pride/self-
sufficiency among one’s race) and fighting
for equality through violence, if necessary:
Marcus Garvey, W.E.B. DuBois, and
Malcolm X ( Biographical Profiles, 2010;
DuBois, 1903/2003; Kritsonis, 2002)
 While national African American male
leaders focused on how to best overcome
negative barriers to success, leaders of
HBCU’s were challenged with funding,
legislature, and moving the school toward
the mission of education and service to the
community (Jackson, 2007; Woolfolk, 1986)
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17. African American faculty are underrepresented
across the board among most U.S. colleges
and universities. Allen’s data confirmed that
African American faculty was systematically
and significantly disadvantaged in measures
such as opportunity structure, resources,
appointed positions, and advancement
opportunities (Allen, 2000).
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18.  According to Foster (2005), mentorship was a strong
predictor of success for African American males in Public
and Higher education.
 Foster’s study also revealed that Public White Institutions
(PWI’s) rated poorly with African American male faculty,
who felt PWI’s were not developing strong.
mentor/mentee programs to help buffer isolation and
racism among African American male students.
 While Foster’s study had a positive impact on a small
group of inner-city African American male youth, the
overall effectiveness of mentorship programs remain
questionable (Bashi, 1991).
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19.  High drop-out rates in Public
schools and low scores on
standardized tests
 Overrepresentation in the areas of
Special Education
 High frequency of discipline
referrals and expulsion
 Drug and Gang violence
 Homicide and incarceration
(Children’s Aid Society ,2006,:
Roderick, 2003)
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20.  Research Methodology
 Subjects of Study
 Instrumentation
 Validity and Reliability of the Study
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21.  Qualitative Study
 Phenomenological
 Hermeneutic
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22.  Four Participants
 Criterion Sampling
 African American Male
 Educational
Leaders/Teachers
 30 or more years of service
 Currently serving at a
Southwestern HBCU
 Anonymity - lettering
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23.  Demographic Information Instrument
 In-Depth Phenomenological Interviews
 Observations
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24. Demographic Information Instrument
 3 Sections:
 Familial
 Educational
 Occupational
 30 Questions
 Distributed during the initial meeting with
each participant.
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25. In-Depth Phenomenological Interviews
 Three Face-to-Face In-Depth interviews
 Historical
 Reconstructive
 Reflective
 Open-Ended
 Semi-Structured
 Audio/video-taped
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26. Observations
 One thirty-minute observation
 To capture dialogue from an artifact
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27.  Participants will review and provide feedback
on the interview questions to check for
ambiguity, repetition, or relevancy of the
questions
 Triangulation will include: observation field
notes, demographic information, artifacts, and
vitas
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28.  Researcher and participants collaborate interactively in
shaping emerging themes (Creswell, 2007).
 Data Analysis Steps:
1. The researcher brackets/suspends personal bias.
2. The researcher will read, memo, and horizontalize
(highlighting significant statements) the interview data
will answer the research questions.
3. The researcher/participants develop emerging
themes based upon “textural and structural”
descriptions.
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29.  Data Analysis Steps, continued:
4. Textual and Structural descriptions will be detailed in
paragraph form in order to capture the “essence” of the
phenomenon.
5. Triangulation will help validate the study through
observation field notes, demographic information, and
artifacts will be scanned to help embellish key concepts
for emerging themes.
6. After the data has been analyzed, the results will be
reported through a combination of narration and tables.
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“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent
about things that matter.” – Martin Luther King,
Jr.