Afro-Caribbean Immigrant Faculty Experiences in the American Academy: Voices of an Invisible Black Population

Dave A. Louis, Keisha V. Thompson, Patriann Smith, Hakim Mohandas Amani Williams, Juann Watson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

27 Scopus citations

Abstract

Afro-Caribbean immigrants have been an integral part of the history and shaping of the United States since the early 1900s. This current study explores the experiences of five Afro-Caribbean faculty members at traditionally White institutions of higher education. Despite the historical presence and influence of Afro-Caribbean communities and the efforts within education systems to address the needs of Afro-Caribbean constituents, Afro-Caribbean faculty members continue to be rendered indiscernible in higher education and to be frequently and erroneously perceived as African–Americans. The study examines the lived experiences of these individuals in the hegemonic White spaces they occupy at their institutions with both White and Black populations. Through their narratives, issues of stereotyping, microaggression, and isolation are addressed. The participants also offer solutions to address these issues by university administrators, department heads, faculty development professionals, diversity officers, policy makers, and other stakeholders. The voices in this study shed light on an overlooked, misunderstood, and under-researched population within our faculty ranks in the American Academy.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)668-691
Number of pages24
JournalUrban Review
Volume49
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 1 2017

Keywords

  • Afro-Caribbean
  • Black faculty
  • Caribbean immigrants
  • Microaggression

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Afro-Caribbean Immigrant Faculty Experiences in the American Academy: Voices of an Invisible Black Population'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this