Black Women in the Academy Navigating Social Position

Learning Objectives Describe the unique position of Black women in the academy and Black Studies. Understand how Black women professionals are marginalized in Black Studies Consider the important and unique role that Black women play in academe as a whole and Black studies specifically.

The Missing Link Black women have been integral to the development of Africana Studies Their contributions have been pushed to the margins of scholarly discourse Their experience is at the intersection of racism and sexism in the academy

Women in the Field Majority educated at HBCU Have held administrative positions Are between 30 and 65

Service Role Are typically engaged in more teaching, advising, committee work than white counterparts Are less likely to have graduate assistants Are more likely to work overtime to conduct research and get published Rarely have sponsorship and access to funding for research and international travel

Service Breakdown 37% teaching 35% researching 27% administration 15% advising

Black Tax A debt incurred by virtue of being Black in a white institution Black women have to deal with racism and sexism simultaneously Professors are not removed from gender roles outside of the academy (i.e. the second shift)

2005 Faculty Departure Trends Minority respondents were more likely than whites to cite salary, the quality of life in Blacksburg, and the general climate in Virginia for diversity as reasons for leaving Virginia Tech White faculty were more likely than minorities to cite state support for higher education Specifically among minority groups, African Americans were more likely than other minorities to cite campus climate and general climate in Virginia Other minorities were more likely than African Americans to cite lack of opportunities for their spouse/partner as a reason for leaving.

Virginia Tech Attrition of Minority Faculty 23.5% found a salary increase elsewhere 17.4% Left because of a spousal/family concern 15.7% Negative tenure prospect 14.8% multiple reasons *21% of leave due to spousal/family concerns 2010 Faculty Departure trends Consider faculty hemorrhaging at Virginia Tech Sociology department. Needs more community support within and outside of Virginia tech.

Contribution Afrocentric worldview Bridge between the academy and the community Have been committed to promoting policy Integral to the development of the discipline

Black Male Fragility Find the focus on women’s issues a threat Have historically marginalized the perspectives of women colleagues Research has historically been invalidated due to white and male perspective domination

Position Leadership is an expected male trait Women leaders are not afforded with the same support as their male counterparts Men often see women leaders as a threat

Black/Africana Women’s Studies Black women’s studies should not be taught in isolation Is necessary for the continued development of the field Adds necessary nuance to Afrocentric perspectives