This research study was designed to determine success factors for Black female executive leaders in the role of president in public colleges and universities instead of focusing on a plethora of barriers historically and systematically encountered. Critical questions about intersections, leadership, and career pathways for the Black female academic executive leader continues to attract the attention of researchers, yet no prior empirical research on Black female public college and university presidents exists from the unique voices of this group regarding their leadership. This study explored leadership development described uniquely by the study participants to capture perspectives from an essential referent of self as woman, self as sociopolitical agent, and self as unique individual through an oppositional consciousness to intersections over a career lifespan through resilient, adaptive behaviors as described by five active public college and university presidents. The study applied a radical constructivist approach, using a qualitative methodology to understand, gain clarity, and add richly to the evolving framework of Black female leadership development literature, beyond what is currently known. Black female executive level academics offer examples of their multifaceted rich worldviews to achieve successes in leadership, leadership development, leadership identity, and career goals. Findings revealed 27 attributes among key knowledge, abilities, and skills that formed six pillars of the Black female leader-self. Black female executive level academic leaders in academia continue to demonstrate an ability to rise, be resilient, and perform with tenacity; engaging situational and heterarchical leadership outside the praxis of leadership talent marginalization and the challenges of invisibility reflected in the broader literature through resistant research dissonance. [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.]