The issue of race is deeply ingrained in the societal structures of the United States. The landmark Supreme Court case, "Brown v. Board of Education" (1954) was hailed as the end of legalized racial segregation in American schools. However, in practice, the ruling resulted in thousands of African American teachers losing their jobs. The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study is to examine the perceptions and experiences of African American educators in predominately White suburban school districts in North Texas. Using a phenomenological approach, the present research project seeks a deeper understanding of how political climate influences perceptions of career opportunities, professional relationships, and professional self-efficacy among suburban African American educators. Twenty-four African American educators across three North Texas suburban school districts completed a Likert-scale survey, reporting the degree to which they agreed with statements involving the current political climate. Seven survey participants also agreed to an extended 45-60 minute interview. Of the seven interview participants, 100% believed that other African American educators chose not to participate in the study out of fear of retribution by White employers and White colleagues. Study results revealed that the current political climate has influenced African American educators' perceptions of career opportunities, professional relationships, and self-efficacy in North Texas. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]