In previous studies, Black gay males have shared their lived experiences at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), but the voices of outwardly presently gay Black males remain void in the literature and how they navigate such institutions. Despite their community and relationship-based environment, the foundational tenets of HBCUs…

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the experiences that contributed to the persistence of African American males at a historically Black college. The problem was that the percentage of 18- to 24-year-old African American males enrolled in the nation's colleges and universities over the past two decades has…

This dissertation is a study of Bennett College for Women (Bennett College), one of two Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) whose mission continues to be the provision of higher education to Black women in America. It is one of just over one hundred HBCUs still operating in the United States. This dissertation tells the story of…

American women in the 21st century have more options from which to select a college education than in the past, yet there are some women who purposely select a women's college. This study examined the culture of women's colleges, specifically Spelman College, a Historically Black Women's College (HBWC) in Atlanta, Georgia, founded by White…

This study was primarily a multiple-case study that incorporated descriptive statistical analysis to examine the contributions that three niche institutions play in the diverse democracy of the U.S. A "niche institution" is a college or university whose role in U.S. higher education is to meet the needs of a specific group and whose…