Dr. William Allan Kritsonis, Dissertation Chair for Mary Ann Springs, Dissertation Defense PPT.

LIVING LEGACIES: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY
OF SEVEN AFRICAN AMERICAN MALE
EDUCATIONAL LEADERS AT A SOUTHWESTERN
HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY
IN TEXAS
A Dissertation Defense
By
Mary Ann Springs
Dissertation Chair: William Allan Kritsonis

William Allan Kritsonis, PhD
(Dissertation Chair)
Dr. Douglas S. Hermond
(Member)
Dr. Patricia Hoffman-Miller
(Member)
Dr. Carl Gardiner
(Member)
Dr. Solomon Osho
(Member)

Introduction
African American male leadership is crucial to
the African American community because of
the rise of Black-on-Black crime, poor
academic performance, the overrepresentation
of Black males in special education, and
disproportionate numbers of African American
male incarceration in comparison to other
races (Child’s Aid Society, 2006; Ladson-
Billings (1999).

 Without proper guidance programs and the
necessary mentors and coaches to help young
African American males, this group may lack
the resilience to work hard and become
productive citizens that will carry the legacy of
African American male leadership (Child’s Aid
Society, 2006).

The consistent decline of African American
male participation and contribution to the
African American community could lead to the
absence of future leaders of HBCUs and public
schools in general (Jackson, 2001; Wiley,
2001; Woodson, 1933/2005).

 Despite these social, political, and cultural
barriers that impede African American males,
many do succeed. In fact, African American
male educational leaders at HBCUs are
successful and have a significant influence on
African American male students through
mentorship (Lucas, 2010).

 The literature tells us little about the impact
and influence of such men; therefore, the
researcher conducted a study that would
describe the impact of Critical Race Theory
(CRT), what made the subjects of the study
resilient in overcoming societal barriers, and
the significance of mentorship on their journey
toward educational leadership.

 The researcher utilized search engines such
as ProQuest, Sage Publications, and EBSCO
Host search engines to locate studies on the
emergence, essence, and influence of African
American male educational leaders who
survived societal barriers and became
successful at an HBCU in Texas.

 The researcher was approved to conduct a
phenomenological study devoted to examining
the emergence of African American male
educational leadership as
perceived, experienced, and exercised by
African American male administrators of an
HBCU in Southwest Texas.

Research Questions
Research Questions
The following research questions guided the
study. According to Marshall and Rossman, as
cited in Creswell (2007), the central question of a
phenomenological study should be explanatory
in nature when little is known about a particular
phenomenon and descriptive when describing
patterns related to the phenomenon.

Research Question #1
What was the evolution of leadership over the
past three decades of seven African American
male educational leaders from a Southwestern
Historically Black College and University?

What critical moments in history have
impacted the educational leadership style(s)
of seven African American male educational
leaders from a Southwestern Historically
Black College and University?

Which leaders from the past have left an
impression on seven African American male
educational leaders from a Southwestern

In the face of social, political, or racial
adversities, what influenced the decisions of
seven African American male educational
leaders at a Southwestern Historically Black
College and University?

What is the essence of the leadership of seven
African American male educational leaders at
a Southwestern Historically Black College and
University?

How has the leadership of seven African
American male educational leaders influenced
students, policy, the development of programs,
strategies, and curriculum at a Southwestern

Purpose of the Study
 The purpose of this study was to conduct a
phenomenological investigation that gave voice to
seven African American male educational leaders.
 The study examined the emergence of
educational leadership and its impact on African
American males as perceived, experienced and
exercised by African American male
administrators of a Historically Black College and
University (HBCU) in Southwest Texas.

Significance of the Study
 Absence of Black leadership and Black mentors will
not only negatively impact public and post-secondary
schools that educate African American males but will
impact these young men by decreasing their influence
and visibility at the social, political, economical, and
educational levels (Stupak, 2008).
 Failure in these areas could ultimately affect the
nation as a whole when considering true and timely
reformation.

 The researcher conducted a hermeneutical
phenomenological study that focused on the life
experiences of seven African American male
educational leaders at an HBCU.
 This study may serve as a tool to restore what
"excellence in action" looked like in the form of
phenomenology, the re-creation of lived
experiences.

The desired outcome was four-fold:
1. To foster the meaningful paternal relationships from senior
educational leaders to succeeding generations;
2. To teach and share leadership characteristics with young
male youth of all backgrounds;
3. To encourage African American males to graduate; and
4. To inspire and motivate African American males aspiring
leadership positions in public and higher education.

8
 The study highlighted seven African American male educational
leaders and gave them opportunity to be heard with minimal
interpretation from the researcher.
 This study did not reflect the thoughts and opinions of the entire
African American male educational leadership population; neither
was the narrative experiences of the participants germane to all
African American male educational leaders but included the unique
experiences of the seven participants of the study.
 The study added to the limited body of research on African
American male educational leadership among HBCUs in the
Southwest region of the United States.

Personal Statement
 According to Moustakas, as cited by Creswell
(2007), “the first step toward "phenomenological
reduction" in the analysis of the data is for the
researcher to set aside all preconceived ideas or
experiences in order to best understand the
experiences of the participants” (p. 235).
 The researcher therefore shared her experiences
with risk and protective factors that have framed
her interpretation of leadership.

Delimitations of the Study
 This study looked at seven African American
male administrators, therefore eliminating the
experiences and contributions of African
American female administrators. The
participants of the study have all served as
educational leaders at a Southwestern HBCU.

In addition, the participants of the study are
currently serving as a professor or
administrator at the university chosen for the
study. The participants of the study have
served the same HBCU for 30 or more years.
Based on the criterion, seven African
American male educational leaders emerged as
participants for the study.

Limitations
First, participant's narrative expressions may
be limited to the researcher's ability to use
strong and descriptive language in order to
accurately report the experience.

Second, since the study and experiences are
specific to the participants in question, the
reproduction of this study for a larger
population with different demographic and
racial make-up could change the outcome.

Third, since participants shared experiences
from the past, their expressions may be limited
to their capacity to recollect information.

Fourth, the study depended upon the honest
responses of the participants while sharing
their experiences.

Fifth, since the seven participants are actively
serving as leaders or as teachers, their
availability was limited when scheduling
interviews.

Sixth, the demographic survey asked for
occupational information that could potentially
reveal the participants identity. The
participants were given the liberty to answer or
not answer any portion of the questionnaire.

Literature Review
 In order to understand the phenomenon of
African American male leadership, it is
important to understand their history as a
people. The aftermath of slavery, racism, and
inequality has left a negative impact on the
plight of African American males at the
educational, social, and political levels
(Woodson, 1933/2005).

 It is important to note that these risk factors
have significantly decreased the pool of
African American males as future leaders in
society (Eatman, 2000; Green, 2001; Wiley,
2001). Racism and inequality has had a major
impact on African Americans and continues to
affect many aspects of their lives.

 The literature review began with the history of
Black education in the South, the rise and
significance of Historically Black Colleges and
Universities (HBCU), and the establishment of
African American male leaders at the national
level.
 Leadership styles of African American men were
examined in addition to their barriers in higher
education.

The review also revealed the significance of
mentorship for future generations of African
American males and discussed Critical Race
and Resiliency Theories. The literature review
concluded by identifying risk factors that
potentially threaten African American males.

In general, the following were examined relative to the literature review:
• History of Black Education in the South
• Critical Moments in African American History
• Black Leaders and Politics
• The Jim Crow Laws and Segregation
• The Black Power and Civil Rights Movements
• The Black Family and Community
• The Rise of African American Leadership and National Leaders
• Leadership Styles of African American Men
• Frederick Douglas

• Henry Highland Garnet
• Marcus Garvey
• William Edward Burghardt DuBois
• Malcom X
• Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
• Educational Leaders of African American HBCUs
• Black Faculty in Higher Education
• African American Male Administrators in Higher education
• A Brief History of HBCU Educational Leaders
• Leadership Demands

• The Significance of Mentorship for African American Males
• Critical Race Theory
• Resiliency Theory
• Risk Factors that Threaten African American Male Youth

Methodology
1. Chapter three described the methodology for this study by defining the research
design, participant selection and description, data collection method, and analysis.
2. The researcher described the qualitative methodology used for the study and gave the rationale
for the methodological selection. The research design and the role of the researcher were
also detailed.
3. Data collection included interviews, demographic information, artifacts, and vitas.

Subjects of the Study
Seven participants were selected based upon criterion sampling
The following criteria were used to determine the participants for the
study: African American male, educational leaders or teachers who became
leaders at a Southwestern HBCU in Texas, served the university for 30 or more
years, and currently serves as an educational leader at the same Southwestern
HBCU. Successful African American male leaders would include the
attainment of a doctoral degree and stabilization of employment.

Instrumentation
1. The study required the use of four forms of
data: demographic information, interview
questions, artifact observations, and vitas.
2. Each participant was asked to complete a
demographic instrument prior to scheduling
interviews. The instrument included familial,
educational, and occupational information.

3. The researcher scheduled three face-to-face in-
depth interview sessions with each participant
comprised of open-ended and semi-structured
interview questions.
4. The same questions were asked of each
participant, and when necessary, a follow-up
question for clarification to a previous response.

5. For the purpose of the study, interview
questions were experience or behavioral in
nature. The researcher interviewed African
American male educational leaders who shared
their past and present experiences and
behaviors which led to their success.

6. Each interview session was audio taped
with the participant's consent. The researcher
used an interview protocol that included the
research questions and space to write notes or
responses. The audio tapes were later
transcribed by the researcher.

7. The observations included artifacts such as
photos, letters of excellence in leadership from
supervisors, peers, and former students, plaques,
awards/programs honoring the participants, and
public documents were video-taped at the
participants’ office or home.
8. In addition, each participant was asked to
provide an updated vita that included work
history, publications, and honors.

Data Analysis
 Table 1 includes the six research questions that
guided the study and the data collection
instruments. The letters "IQ" represent each
interview question as they align with each
research question.
 An X represents data used for triangulation. The
research questions were answered in the
following manner:

 Research question one was answered by interview question one of
the interview instrument. The demographic survey, observational
artifacts, and vitas were used for triangulation and verification
purposes.
 Research question two was answered by interview question two.
 Research question three was answered by interview question four.

 Research question four was answered by interview question three.
 Research question five was answered by interview questions seven
and eight.
 Research question six was answered by interview questions five and
six. The information from the participants' demographic survey,
vitas, and artifacts were used for triangulation purposes.

Table 1 Data Collection
__________________________________________________________________________________
Question No. Interview Instrument Observations of Artifacts Vita
__________________________________________________________________________________
Research Question 1 IQ 1 X X
Research Question 2 IQ 2
Research Question 5 IQ 7 & 8
Research Question 6 IQ5& 6 X X
__________________________________________________________________________________
Note. Research questions will be answered by the interview instrument (IQ). The X represents data that will be used for
triangulation. Demographic information will be used for triangulation as well.

 The analysis of the data was guided by Critical
Race/Resiliency Theories, and mentorship. The
process began by bracketing or suspending the
researcher's personal bias concerning leadership.
 The researcher read and horizontalized the
transcribed interview responses and observations
by describing how the participants had
experienced leadership.

 Triangulation was employed to validate the
findings. The researcher also allowed the
participants to review their responses and make
revisions, omit, or add additional comments.
 Once the data was analyzed, the results were
reported through a combination of narration,
tables, and figures.

Data Analysis
 Chapter four contained the narration of the
historical, social, and reflective aspects of
leadership among seven African American
male educational leaders and how they
overcame barriers in the attainment of their
career goals.

 The data analysis process began with uploading all
audio-taped interviews into the researcher’s computer.
 An individual file was created for each participant
with the letter A representing participant1, letter B for
participant 2, letter C for participant 3, letter D for
participant 4, letter E for participant 5, letter F for
participant 6, and letter G for participant 7. A similar
file was created for the participants’ observations of
artifacts.

Research Questions
The researcher of the following questions for the study:
1. What is the evolution of leadership over the
past three decades of seven African American
male educational leaders from a Southwestern

2. What critical moments in history have
impacted the educational leadership style(s) of

3. Which leaders from the past have left an
impression on seven African American male
educational leaders from a Southwestern

4. In the face of social, political, or racial

5. What is the essence of the leadership of

6. How has the leadership of seven African
students, policy, helped develop programs,
strategies, curriculum, or theories from a

Narrative Responses
1. When and how did your journey toward leadership begin?
2. Throughout your life, what social, educational, or political risk factors did you
experience as potential road-blocks in the pursuit of your career goals and how did
you overcome them?
3. What do you contribute to most of your ability to overcome barriers throughout your career as an
educational leader?
4. During your life as a young man, who were the leaders that inspired you, what qualities did they
possess and how did these qualities influence your leadership?

5. How do you think African American male educational leadership adds value to the mainstream
of society?
6. Provide examples of how your legacy has impacted the lives of students/former
students by implementation of leadership programs, strategies, curriculum, and theories
targeted toward African American males. Describe policies, political office, or positions of
power that assisted seven educational leaders in becoming change agents of local, state, or
national policy.
7. Describe what it means to be an African American male in a leadership position that helped
pave the way for African American males.
8.What keeps seven African American male educational leaders continuing their life of service?

 Participant A
I believe my journey toward leadership actually started when I
was probably in elementary school. I think some of my
teachers recognized that I had a gift for teaching. I was
actually, I guess, a kind of peer tutor. I didn't know what I was
doing back then in those days; I was just doing what I was
asked to do. When I think about it though, that's how they
utilized the gift that I had to support other students. I think that
was when my journey toward leadership began.

 Participant B
I suppose it began when I started participating as
an athlete in school. It was in elementary
school…physical education, when I started
playing sports. I found that my teammates asked
me to do certain things, or be in charge of certain
things. They would say such things as, “Let me be
on your team.” I guess you would call that the
quality of a leader…when others want to be with
you. That was when I first started noticing myself.

 Participant C
I would say that my leadership journey began in
high school. When I was growing up in the rural,
segregated South, I participated in a program which
was called the “New Farmers of America” (NFA).
As part of that we, went through leadership training.
We were taught leadership skills and given
opportunities to participate in leadership.

 Participant D
Most of my interaction was with family, and I
think leadership kind of started from this
interaction. My great-grandfather was
instrumental in my pursuit of education because
he developed one of the first Black schools in
Waller County.

 Participant E
Unfortunately, my mother died when I was eight years old, so
my aunt, who was my father’s sister, came to live with us. She
was a teacher, and she really inspired me to be a teacher
without a direct influence.
Apparently, somebody recognized leadership skills within me
and felt that I could make a contribution. I seized upon the
opportunity to serve, and whatever I participated in, I always
gave it my best.

 Participant F
Well, I think I was born a leader really. I always
wanted to do the best at whatever I set my mind
to accomplish; it was just a natural thing. My
parents didn’t have to make me do anything
because I was self-motivated.

 Participant G
My journey toward leadership began in college
when I was exposed to one person in particular, a
coach. As a young boy, the coach would allow
me to watch the team practice. I had a great
amount of respect for him and the way he led
that team.

What critical moments in history have impacted
the educational leadership styles(s) of seven
African American male educational leaders from
a Southwestern Historically Black College and
University?

 Participant A
Growing up, I can recall the separate water
fountains. I can recall having to ride in the back
of the bus. We always had to make sure we
carried food. When we were on trips, we couldn't
always and didn't know if there would be places
to stop.

 There was nothing to compare it to because you didn't know
any other way of life. During Integration, I couldn't understand
why the Black administrators, the counselors, and the senior
English teachers at the high school, were given positions of lesser
authority and prestige. These experiences caused me to take risks
in fighting for what I thought was right; even today, as a leader, I
take risks, but they are calculated risks.

 Participant B
Well, the Jim Crow Law itself was an
unconstitutional law that said certain things about a
human, and I grew up with that law. That law said
that you were not equal to other people, but it
afforded an opportunity for you to develop your
potential. The Civil Rights movement afforded many
Black males an opportunity to participate in
manhood…to participate in standing for something
that they felt was just and right.

 Participant C
Well, communities were segregated. We had Black leadership in the Black
community. We had Black neighborhoods and Black businesses, even in the
small towns. You could easily identify leadership because it started with the
churches. The churches were always a powerful force in the community. Those
individuals were the outgoing people, the people with resources. So they were
looked up to as leaders in the Black community. But opportunities were still
limited. So, this caused me to alter my goals to pursue education and attain
my advanced degrees.

 Participant D
During my formative years, racism was prevalent, but I
was never exposed to it. Even though we heard about the
racial turmoil of the nation, we were sheltered within our
communities and them in theirs. We just accepted it as a
way of life. If there’s something blocking my path, I
believed that I could still get there some kind of way. One
has to work around the obstacles in order to reach their
destination. I never recognized the challenges of racism.

 Participant E
In the era in which I grew- up, if you were aspiring to be a leader, you
were aspiring to be a leader in the context of a Jim Crow and not a
world situation. The Jim Crow Era afforded opportunities for male role
models as teachers since career options were limited.
I think that the integration we fought for as a race hurt us, as White
public schools took the best Black teachers and placed them where
predominately White students were taught. Before these moments in
my life, I believed in participatory democracy. I didn’t see any major
obstacle that kept me from getting to the point I wanted to be.

 Participant F
One of the things I felt was awesome during segregation
was that we had the HBCUs. As a result of the Civil
Rights Movement, the doors opened and gave us an
opportunity to prove our capability of handling situations
that faced us. The negative part of the movement was that
some people probably would not have put us in positions
we had the capacity to fulfill.

 Participant G
Growing up in the Black community gave us such a strong foundation.
Having strong mentors and role models that demonstrated excellence in
their field was a source of inspiration for me. The Civil Rights Movement
had a great impact.
It allowed African American males to demonstrate their leadership. Dr.
King used his logic and reasoning in understanding how to move the
African American community toward equality. These events have not
changed my leadership philosophy; so, if you ask me today what my
leadership style is; I'd say my leadership style is open and transparent.

 Participant A
There were the principals of the school that inspired
me, and certainly my father and mother. My
mentors were my ministers, Dr. Martin Luther King
Jr., Presidents Kennedy, Eisenhower, and, later,
Ronald Reagan, and even international leaders. So, I
think that the people that inspired me were people
who provided leadership in such a way that got the
job done.

 Participant B
There is a laundry list of males who inspired me. There were
coaches, physical education teachers, principals, spiritual
leaders, gentlemen in the community, presidents of my
university, and presidents who were my fraternity brothers.
Those were the kinds of people that I gravitated to. For me, it
goes back to the people who were your mentors and those you
respected and wanted to be like. If I were to describe
them…they all had integrity and self-discipline; their
demeanor seemed to be so fair and just.

 Participant C
My father brought us up fearing God, and he taught us to work
for what we wanted. I was inspired in college when I started to
learn about Martin Luther King Jr., Ralph Abernathy, Julian
Bond, Andy Young, and some of the mega-church leaders. The
thing that I saw were good, righteous, upstanding men, who
had family values, and were educated. That’s what I wanted to
be. And, I remember watching Martin Luther King Jr.. He was
willing to sacrifice everything to help bring others along.

 Participant D
While growing up in the country, I was exposed to Sam Tucker, a Black
cowboy. At a young age, I would have liked to have patterned my life
after his. He was a strong Black man, who would tell stories of how he
grew up. He was just a strong person. His demeanor was so calm...he
was just outstanding. He took responsibility for his wife, worked at the
ranch, and took care of his people. As a foreman, he made sure
everyone worked together well at the ranch. He was hard-working. His
style was not authoritative, and you never heard him holler at anyone;
he would just go to work.

 Participant E
I, undoubtedly, attribute my ascension into
administration to the president of the University at
the time. I had no aspirations to be an administrator,
but I rose to the occasion when my talents and
abilities were needed. He had well-organized and
well-defined goals. Once a task was started, it had to
be finished. Dr. Thomas emphasized these virtues.

 Participant F
Well, my inspiration to be a leader came from my dad. He was
the embodiment of a champion. I had role models during high
school and college that had a great impact on me. While
attending the university as a student, I had three Black
professors who became my mentors. I had an outstanding
example of leadership from the president of the university at
the time. They were caring and you could touch them because
they were approachable. They were all about the students.

 Participant G
Dr. Patterson was one of the leaders that I really admired. Patterson
then went on to become the president of Hampton University, and he
helped organized the Negro College Fund. One of my professors of
biology at the University was another mentor. The president was good
at bringing quality leaders to the University. I was so impressed with
the administrators and teachers at the University. Their educational
level was second to none. So, I was exposed to many great teachers and
leaders who inspired me to become an educator. They just had the
winning philosophy.

In the face of social, political, or racial

 Participant A
Whenever something comes up, I still kind of weigh the risks involved.
There are certain things you do, whether the risk is high or low, because
it's something you have to do. Over the years, I have developed an
eclectic style of leadership. I try to reach consensus; now that doesn’t
always work.
I also recognize that barriers are often self-imposed. I guess I don't see
a lot of barriers. It may be a slight detour that may have caused me to
slow down in pursuing something, but it was not a barrier.

 Participant B
There may be a term called demands, but I don't see them as
barriers; I see them as demands to be successful. And, if you
wish to be successful in this arena, these are the demands you
have to meet. For example: If you learn what is correct, even
though the law said I'm not privileged to mix with you, I'm not
denied the opportunity to know what you know because
leadership qualities and skills are not owned by anybody. My
leadership style is one of respect for the individuals in which I interact.

 Participant C
I would say my faith in God… I don't talk about it a lot, but that's been
the big stabilizer for me. Going through many challenges, I could
always know that going back to Biblical scripture and reading my
favorites would give me comfort in knowing that in the end, I'm going
to be okay. When I saw the direction, the impact that segregation, now
desegregation, was having, it made me change my thinking. These jobs
are not going to be there for me in the future. So, I thought maybe I
should set my sights on the college level. Over the years, I’ve learned
that you get more done through democratic leadership.

 Participant D
It’s hard to answer why those experiences didn’t stop me… I
guess it’s like going from here to that building outside. I can
walk straight, or I can go around to get to the building. If
there’s something blocking my path, I believed that I could
still get there some kind of way. Racism was one of those
factors. One has to work around the obstacles in order to reach
their destination. I never recognized the challenges of racism;
I knew I would reach my goals one way or another.

 Participant E
One has to keep a positive frame of mind. I’ve never been a
negative person. I speak positively and look on the bright side of
things. If you have confidence in your ability, then you will work
toward accomplishing your goals. When I was in college, I went
to Black schools and White students went to White schools. I
finished college in the 1950’s and went to graduate school, but I
did not find this arrangement to be a handicap; I discovered that it
was a strength. I believe in participatory democracy.

 Participant F
My dedication to education has helped students to understand
that they can't get anywhere without working hard and to be
the best that they can be. I teach those ideas, and demonstrate
to them what it takes to be a great thinker. I teach them to have
a positive attitude, and that if anybody else could do it, they
could, too. We don't have that kind of enrichment of Black
professors anymore. It's scary that nobody cares about our
young Black males. I put blood, sweat and tears into my
students…I work night and day trying to help them.

 Participant G
Having knowledge and being educated were factors that helped
me to overcome challenges, in addition to having strong mentors
and role models that demonstrated excellence in their field. So,
yes, there were laws, and we knew those laws; but we were
intelligent enough to abide by them, and not allow the laws to
subjugate us to inferiority. These events did not alter my
leadership style…I’ve always believed in transparency and
consensus among the group.

What is the essence of the leadership of seven
African American male educational leaders
from a Southwestern Historically Black
College and University?

 Participant A
I see it as a big responsibility being in a position to
encourage younger Black males to do the best they can.
I'm trying to make sure that younger Black males have
many experiences to lead and take advantage of
opportunities that come up. I just worry when I see Black
males that are being placed in positions where they may
not have that same kind of encouragement, which is why I
take mentoring very seriously.

3
 Participant B
For me…if I were to sum it up… if I can help somebody, let
me do that. When a male sees me, I'd like for him to see and
desire to use many of those strategies that he sees within me.
We have to set examples as leaders to inspire them to emulate
the qualities of a leader; therefore, we must lead correctly.
There are many people who are leaders, but their behavior is
unacceptable. Therefore, African American males who are
looking at those types of leaders need to be careful of what
they choose.

 Participant C
In my graduate school days, we talked about how we were
treated different and were held to different expectations. But
at the same time, we had a responsibility to stand strong. What
I mean was that there has always been a double or triple
standard. Standards are not the same if you're a Black man.
So, I learned that it's not really the position that you're in that
matters; it's what you do with the one you have. The example I
tried to set was to do all I could to the best of my ability
wherever I went.

 Participant D
Serving as an African American educational leader means having the
ability to impact the lives of people. The heart of my leadership has
been the power to “impact”. If you look at a medical doctor, while he
may be the one who is making the impact, he can only touch one
person at a time.
But, as an educator, you have the potential to reach twenty, thirty,
forty, or perhaps a hundred people at one time. So, impacting the lives
of people... that is the key. That is what educational leadership means to
me.

 Participant E
I think we are here to make a contribution. You have to
make some type of impact on society. And if you’re going
to do it, you give your best to the people with whom you
are interacting.
The students are our clientele. If you made any impact,
then you should certainly inspire the student to pursue the
profession to which they aspire.

 Participant F
It feels great. It's a joy. It's outstanding, considering the impact that I've
had on young people at the University and beyond. The reputation of
my teaching style has encouraged students to come to my alma mata
seeking my instruction.
The journey has been great, and as I sit back and reflect, I know I didn't
cheat my students. They were successful all across the country because
they had the background knowledge. I thank God for that, and it has
been a blessing to have influenced the lives of my students.

 Participant G
“I think it was an accomplishment.”

strategies, and curriculum at a Southwestern
HBCU in Texas?

 Participant A
For society, in general, I think the African American
population brings the ability to solve problems that may
come from a different perspective. How did we survive
during the Jim Crow era?
How did we survive when people thought we were less
than human? I think just that “survival instinct” is
something we can bring to the table.

 Participant B
Serving as a role model is important. There is a
disconnect in what I think the young Black males
today, based upon the period in time in which
they are growing up, have tried to redefine some
basic things like respect, integrity, and honesty.

 Participant C
Well, even now, we’ve made a lot of progress, but there’s still
a lot of work to be done with this whole issue of race. As
African Americans, we were taught to get an education, but
that was still not enough...opportunities still won’t be equal.
So, you basically have to out work your competition, and be
twice as good; you have to understand that going in. You can
get through some of that, but you've got to be willing to work
extra hard to overcome inequality.

 Participant D
The truth is “uncompromising” discipline…That’s probably
the best description of what African American male leaders
offer. In my opinion, this quality kind of sums up what
President Obama represents: truthful, uncompromising
discipline, which indicates that he knows what needs to be
done. The President has people challenging him in many
different ways, yet he demonstrates the strong ability to listen
to them. Even as President of the United States of America,
Barack Obama is still denied the respect he deserves.

 Participant E
First of all, there is a great need for the representation of role models
among all ethnic groups. I believe that seeing various ethnic groups in
leadership roles provide hope and the possibility of being successful in
life.
If young adults have never witnessed someone from their ethnic
background in certain positions of authority, then their aspirations
could be limited. For example: witnessing Barack Obama as the
President of the United States of America was a historical event for
African Americans.

 Participant F
When people of other groups recognize our accomplishments
as African-Americans, they are amazed. Schools don't teach
Black history to White students, Asians, or whomever, so they
don't know that Black people have made significant
contributions to society.
President Obama has made an impact now, but the struggle to
overcome had already been established by Dr. King and others
in what they had done for society.

 Participant G
The first thing that educational leaders must
understand is that they're not bosses; they’re
leaders. Leaders command they don't demand.
As a leader, you have to clearly understand and
become familiar with the people that you're
working with and serving.

Research Question #6 (cont.)
strategies, and curriculum from a Southwestern

(part two-policy/programs, etc)
 Participant A
Well, I’ll give one example: the Capital Campaign….
We raised $33 million when the economy was down. I
was on the Faculty Advisory Committee at the district
level. I’ve written and continue to write policies for the
University.

 Participant B
In my case, individuals are privileged to write an acknowledgment in their research
papers in my class. I have just hundreds of acknowledgments that express their
appreciation for helping them to conduct research correctly.
For the 55 years that I've been here, I've been able to lead in some of the highest
levels of leadership because of the reputation that I have developed in high school
and by men who served as my mentors. I've been privileged to have a reputation of
someone that knows how to get a job done as it relates to leadership. When you
look at my legacy, when you look at my background, people voted me into those
positions.

 Participant C
I'm proud that I was responsible for a program that started back in 1982, the
Research Apprentice Program (RAP). We exposed the students to role models
and mentors, field trips, industries, and other places; A lot of PhDs, MDs and
JDs have come through the program and are very successful.
Probably one of the highest positions that I've served was chair of the
Experimental Station Committee on Policy back in 2005-2006. We had a lot to
do with the formation of the 2008 Farm Bill, in which we set policies and
programs that impacted agriculture; I was an integral part of writing that bill.

 Participant D
Well, some of my former students have went on to obtain their Ph
Ds . I guess over eighteen years, I can say that I helped in the
development of the electrical engineering curriculum and pushed
for the establishment of seven engineering labs; When I was
serving as the interim dean, I presented the administration with
the Masters in Electrical Engineering with the possibility of
designing a PhD program in a few years. So, I introduced the
concept and the information on how to get the programs started.

 Participant E
In fifty-eight years I have touched a lot of students. I
imagine, at that time, I am sure there are at least 400 or
500 physicians that I have taught, and it’s something to be
proud of. At one time, every student that went to medical
school had to take my class. As the department head, I
was involved in curriculum changes in biology, which
included the input of faculty members.

 Participant F
Just about all of the students in engineering were
influenced by me because they were required to take
my class. This number also included high schools
across the state of Texas and other schools in the
nation. As a faculty, we have been able to write
proposals and get grants for millions of dollars to
sponsor programs that benefited the students.

 Participant G
I have a list of students who have graduated and gone to
medical school from 2000-2011, and it reads as follows: the
University of Texas Medical Branch, Tulane University,
Baylor College of Medicine, Boston University College of
Medicine, Brown University Program of Medicine, Howard
University, Indiana University, John Hopkins School of
Medicine, Meharry Medical College, Michigan State
University of Medicine, New York College of Osteopathic
Medicine,

Ohio University, Oklahoma State School of
Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia College of
Osteopathic Medicine, Russia Medical,
Temple University, Texas A&M University,
Texas Tech University,

The University of California, University of
Cincinnati School of Medicine, and the
University of Florida College of Medicine.

Findings, Implications, and Recommendations
Data Analysis
 The analysis yielded six common themes that
were identified as protective factors to the success
of the seven participants of the study:
a. Recognition of and opportunities for
leadership;
b. Recognition of the positive and negative
impact of segregation and integration;

c. Community, family, and national leaders as mentors;
d. Negative risk factors were not acknowledged as
roadblocks;
e. African American males impact and continued service to
youth;
f. Influence inside and outside of the school community.

Common Themes
A. Recognition and Opportunities for Leadership
 The evolution of the leadership for the majority of the participants seemed
to have originated during their formative years, some as early as elementary school.
All seven participants pointed out that individuals such as teachers, peers , family and
administrators were significant to their leadership development.
The recognition of their talents and leadership qualities allowed the appointment or
election into leadership positions.
 It was during segregation in Black schools that
each participant was given the opportunity to recognize experiences
and exercise their leadership ability.
Benson, 2010; Berry, 2008; and Bacon, 2002 were studies that also found that African
American male educational leaders were critical to the development , nurturing,
and empowerment of students.

 These men pursued education as a career path
by influence or limited job opportunities.
During their tenure at the University, as young
men, they were given the opportunity to fill
leadership positions at an HBCU.
 Some took on the responsibilities and title of
a specific position yet did not receive the pay.

B. Recognized Negative and Positive Impacts of Segregation and Integration
 All seven participants agreed that the Jim Crow era had accomplished its
mission of establishing a culture of inequality and separatism that eventually
became the norm.
 On the contrary, all seven of the participants agreed that segregation and
the laws became a protective factor by providing African American males the
opportunity to exercise their leadership and manhood by solving political and
social problems that the nation's leaders would not address. Gritter (2010)
found that while participants were subject to the laws at the time, Black
southerners used their knowledge and intellect to advance the education of
their people.

 Although the aftermath of discrimination and inequality were
experienced throughout their lives, the seven participants did not view such
critical moments in history for African Americans as risk factors or barriers
to their success. Jordan-Taylor (2010) examine the resiliency of nine
southern educators in overcoming inequality and returning to the South to
provide better educational experiences for African American students.
 Five out of the seven participants agreed that the struggles that they had to
endure did not affect their philosophy of leadership because it had already
been established through their list of mentors and role models.

 Two out of the seven participants noted that during the
early stages of their leadership, they were autocratic in their
approach but later developed a more democratic and
eclectic approach.
 The issues that were presented during their lived
experiences were viewed as challenges that could be
defeated through faith and belief that they could overcome,
financial independence, knowledge, taking risks for the sake
of the cause, and access to dynamic role-models that
understood the mission of cultivating a strong African
American nation.

C. Community, Family, and National Leaders as Mentors
 The seven participants stated their mentors and role
models were a kaleidoscope of local and national
leaders at the familial, community, educational, spiritual
and national levels. Frazier (2009) found that family,
community, and national leaders were critical to the
recognition, selection, and development of African
American leadership.

 All seven participants, identified teachers and
educational administrators as mentors and role
models. The participants expressed how their
mentors led by example by way of integrity,
discipline, teamwork, goal orientation,
perseverance, education, and compassion
(Scott, 2011).

 The lives of these men and women were so
compelling that the seven participants were
inspired to imitate the qualities and
characteristics they saw exercised by their
mentors and role models, which became the
foundation and later, the bedrock of their
leadership (Jackson, 2008).

 The seven participants attributed their career
success in the field of education to parents or
family members, teachers, administrators, and
national leaders during pivotal moments in
Black history.

 According to the participants of the researcher’s
study, African American communities were powerful
and developed outstanding educational values when
they embraced the same ideals as a collective group
(DuBois, 1903/2003; Woodson, 1933/2005).

One participant felt strongly that the Black
community lost its sense of direction when
African American national leaders were
assassinated. Because no alternative leader
was in place after the assination of Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr., the African American
community lacked a sense of direction.

 Another participant concluded that after African
Americans gained a degree of rights and equality,
though not complete, the struggle to fight for a
just cause diminished.
 He believed this slowed the momentum of
continuing to gain knowledge, exercising and
demanding excellence from oneself and the value
of community and church.

 Although all seven participants are actively
engaged in mentoring African American male
youth, the degree, impact, and results of their
mentoring has not been quantified.
 The study revealed that mentoring was a strong
predictor of success for African American males.
Further study on the practice and roles of
university mentors was needed.

D. Negative Risk Factors Not Acknowledged as Roadblocks
 As it pertains to social, political, and racial barriers that
had the potential to serve as a roadblock to the participants
success, five out of the seven participants did not recognize
barriers as a force to circumvent their career goals. Each
viewed barriers as opportunities to exercise their faith, acquire
knowledge to meet the demands of unjust laws, develop a
positive attitude, and develop strong work ethics (Daniel,
2006; Adell, 2004; Kennedy, 2008).

 The majority of the participants mentioned the
importance of role models. Four participants
mentioned their faith in God as a protective
factor in overcoming barriers to success.
Overall, the participants of the study had
access to an array of positive role models and
strong family connections.

E. African American Males Continued Service to Impact Youth
 When asked about the importance of African
American males as educational leaders to
society, the commonality among the seven
participants' responses was having the
opportunity to influence the lives of students
(Barker, 2009).

The participants attributed their resiliency, to role modeling for
assurance of core values, education, double standard work ethics,
uncompromising discipline, and effective people skills. Possessing
the ability to overcome barriers from a different cultural perspective
enabled Participant A to bounce back from the impact of unjust
laws.
Walker (2007) exploration of 12 African American male leaders
utilized their social and academic knowledge to enhance their
leadership skills in actively serving their institutions, which served
as a buffer against negative stereotyping.

Participants B, C and D felt that serving as role
models could guide and preserve values that
define manhood. Participant F postulated that
the absence of African American history in
mainstream schools have robbed society of the
rich contributions and intellect of African
Americans.

The participants who no longer serve in an
administrative role are back in the classroom
reported having more satisfaction and an even
greater potential to touch the lives of students
who need to see examples of successful
African-American male leaders.

F. Influence Inside and Outside of the School Community
Over 30 years of experience in educational leadership in the area of the
endowments and grant proposals were represented by four out of the seven
participants such as the “Capital Campaign”, agriculture, math/science, and
biology grant proposals.
These funds provide scholarships for students and fund programs and research
projects. All seven participants either developed policy or curriculum at the
university, state, or national levels. Lucas (2010) and Howard (2007) revealed
that service/partnerships in and outside the school community supports student
growth and the value of civic engagement.

 All seven participants expressed their
fulfillment in serving as mentors/role models to
their students. The medical profession/schools
across the nation have accepted myriads of
students because of the reputation established by
two of the participants.

 The same is true of the engineering program.
One of the seven participants of the study had
the opportunity to impact his son who now
serves society as a medical doctor. Six out of
the seven participants had former students who
started in their program and have earned
degrees at the Master’s and PhD level.

 While only a few participants of the
researchers study have had an impact on
society at the state, national, and international
levels, all seven of the participants agreed that
influencing, serving, and shaping the lives of
students was their primary goal and the reason
they looked forward to coming to work every
day.

HBCUs Helped Prepare Students for Success
According to the participants, HBCUs were
havens during segregation because they
provided examples of great educational role
models, exposed African Americans to what
was taking place in mainstream society as it
related to the establishment of new
organizations (i.e. Boy Scouts and scholastic
events), and major educational events among
African American school communities across
the nation.

 The seven participants began their career in
leadership/ teaching at an HBCU and thus,
have made significant contributions to the
university and have mentored and influenced
numerous students’ in the actualization of their
career goals.

Dedication to Excellence and Strong Work Ethics
 According to Fraizer (2009), African American male
administrators have gone through many challenges
during their leadership journey as it relates to racism and
injustice, yet maintained their resiliency in
attaining their career goals.

 In addition, the study confirms the
researcher’s findings in that such barriers
encouraged the development of resiliency
through faith, strong work ethics, a positive
mental attitude, education, a strong self-
concept, access to education, and powerful
role-models and mentors.

 Many participants were not privileged to
have their college tuition paid for, so they had
to work and save the money or join the service.
This concept goes back to the idea that nothing
in life is free. True success means putting forth
a significant amount of effort and mental
discipline.

 These men’s goals were crystallized as well.
They knew they wanted to pursue education
but didn’t realize they would end up as
educational leaders at an HBCU. All seven
participants have held (and some continue to
hold) an administrative position. Most of the
participants are back in the classrooms as
instructors/administrators.

Injustice Gave Birth to the Demand to be Successful
 Five out of the seven participants did not
recognize barriers as a force to circumvent their
career goals but as opportunities to exercise their
faith, acquire their knowledge to meet the demands
of unjust laws, maintain a positive attitude, and
develop strong work ethics.

Taking Risks for What One Believes is Fair and Just
 The participants similarly overlooked societal
barriers and channeled their knowledge and
efforts toward the acquisition of their personal
goals and aspirations.

Faith in God, Education and Role Models
 At the high school and collegiate level, and the
beginning of administration, participants had
successful male role models who
believed, advised, and interacted with them.
Some African American national and state
leaders had an indirect impact that helped frame
some of the participants’ journey toward
leadership.

 Having a solid family structure was a positive
factor to the success of the participants.
 Another factor was having a father that led by
example by way of teaching hard work ethics,
commitment to completing a task, supporting and
providing for the family, modeling excellence,
and maintaining their integrity through the times
of social, political, and educational challenges.

Summary Conclusions/ Impact on Researcher
 The participant’s resiliency speaks to
subsequent generations that life is about
accessing proper guidance and making right
choices. The lives of these men also taught that
life comes with its set of challenges and set-
backs, but through faith, dedication, and hard
work, one can “bounce- back” and overcome
barriers to success.

 The participant’s example of integrity,
dedication, and commitment to excellence has
become instrumental in the lives of those
whom they have served and continue to serve.

 Through this phenomenological experience,
African American males as a whole, can be
viewed in a positive light because most men
desire to be leaders in some form or fashion, but
that desire must be channeled in a positive
direction. I found these seven leaders to be
strong, bold, confident, yet a gentle composition
of the human race…living legacies…the essence
of leadership.

Implications for Further Practice
Opportunities to Demonstrate Leadership
 Just as these powerful men were given opportunities
to demonstrate leadership at the primary, secondary,
and collegiate levels, school officials should focus on
building critical pedagogical competence.
Relationship building and getting to know the
strengths of their African American male population
can create opportunities to exercise their talents.

Adolescents need to believe that they are valued and
can make a difference in the world in which they live
by having the opportunity to serve others.
Educational practitioners could help set the foundation
for building a strong self-image by developing
leadership characteristics, which would enhance the
support of African American male peers. This could
increase the chances of African American males staying
in school and completing high school.

African American Mentorship Program
 All participants mentor students either in the
classroom, as advisors, or on a one-on-one
basis.

 In order to reach more young Black males and
increase the retention/graduation rates, perhaps
a mentorship program can be developed at the
university that would build positive
collaborations between the university's pool of
African American male educational leaders
and African American male students from the
freshman to the senior level.

Impact and Influence/ “Dual Role in Education”
 African American male educational leaders
should consider balancing administration in
creating opportunities to teach at the
University as well. Dual roles could increase
the chances of impacting more male students
on overcoming societal barriers and not be
susceptible to making wrong choices.

Recommendations for Further Study
1. A study could be conducted on African
American male educational leaders who have
served 30+ years at a PWI.
2. A study could be conducted on African American
male educational leaders’ contributions and
influence at national private institutions.

American male educational leadership and
influence at community colleges across the
nation.
4. A study could be conducted on the students’
perceptions of African American male
educational leaders at an HBCU.

male students’ perception of African American
male educational leaders as mentors and role
models.
6. A study could be conducted on the contributions
and influences of African American female
educational leaders who have served 30+ years at
an HBCU.

7. A study could be conducted on the
contributions and influence of African
American female educational leaders at a
PWI.
American female educational leaders and their
role as mentors and role models for African
American female students at an HBCU.

female educational leaders and their role as
mentors and role models for African American
female students at a PWI.
10. A study could be conducted on the African
American female students and their perceptions
of African American female educational leaders
as mentors and role models.

11. A study could be conducted on minority
students’ perceptions of African American
male educational leaders as mentors and role
models at an HBCU.

Dr. William Allan Kritsonis, Dissertation Chair for Mary Ann Springs, Dissertation Defense PPT.

Dr. William Allan Kritsonis, Dissertation Chair for Mary Ann Springs, Dissertation Defense PPT.

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