Abstract
Faculty of Color are disproportionately underrepresented in the
professoriate. This narrative study examines the experiences of seven
self-identified Black full-time faculty with racial microaggressions at
Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs), highlighting their struggles,
and identifying individual and institutional strategies to combat racial
microaggressions. The purpose of the study is to (1) expand the current
literature base on racial microaggressions (2) to clarify the effects of
racial microaggressions, and (3) to provide interventions to help
victims and perpetrators of racial microaggressions. The target audience
is institutes of higher education, faculty and administrators, and
potential faculty in the higher education pipeline. The participants
were recruited using purposive criterion and snowball sampling. In-depth
semistructured interviews using open ended questions were used. Critical
Race Theory is the theoretical framework. The four themes developed from
the narratives are (1) cultural exclusion and diminished legitimacy in
the workplace; (2) stress, resiliency and coping in a White dominated
field; (3) power in academia; and (4) the intersection of identity
including race and gender. The data revealed that cultural exclusion and
diminished legitimacy in the workplace was the most prominent theme, and
the intersection of identity, although important was the least.
Limitations include the Black faculty participating in this study may
differ from all Black faculty at all universities. Implications of the
study is to improve understanding of racial microaggressions and to
illuminate recommended interventions that support PoC to successfully
navigate in the academy. Conclusion, the experiences noted in this study
could be useful to those seeking faculty of color pursuing to work at
PWIs, particularly Black faculty.