White defensiveness in response to racial justice education has increasingly been understood through the "white fragility" framework. This study puts forth a new framework that instead identifies a typology of white defensive moves that actively work to uphold and fortify the white racial contract. Inspired by Solórzano and…

This paper documents how segregation between Black students and White students across U.S. colleges has evolved since the 1960s, explores potential channels through which changes occur, and studies segregation across majors within colleges. The main findings are: (1) Black-White dissimilarity fell sharply in the late 1960s and early 1970s and has…

With respect to studies examining Black students at predominately White historically Black colleges or universities (HBCU), very little data exists; therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which the specific benefits to Black and White students attending an HBCU (i.e., academic adjustment, social adjustment,…

In the context of ongoing antagonism on college campuses, attacks on Critical Race Theory, and widespread backlash against racial justice initiatives, this paper underscores the growing need to recognize co-optation and other counterinsurgent strategies used against racial justice to make room for transformative scholarship. By presenting…

There is constant debate over the contributing factors that produce disproportionate outcomes in higher education between Black and White students. This study utilizes a symbolic interactionist theoretical framework and a qualitative phenomenological approach that pulls from the individualized and collective experiences of faculty, administrators,…

This chapter closely examines trends in White student enrollment at 4-year HBCUs between 1987 and 2012 and discusses the implications of those trends for policy, practice, and future research.

This study examines variation in the cultural stereotypes African American women encounter at a historically Black university and at a predominantly White university and the possible differences in the stereotypes' effect. Prior research reveals a variety of "controlling images" of African American women in the society at large and at…

St. Philip's College is the only community college in the nation that is both a Historically Black College (HBCU) and a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). The college has a long history of evolving to serve the local population in San Antonio, Texas. Currently, more than 50 percent of St. Philip's students are Latinx, 29 percent are White, and 12…

This design case describes the tensions and resolutions related to the iterative design of a virtual STEM peer mentoring program for White and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) women in STEM study programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and at Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). Stakeholder feedback, along…

Within this study, the authors are interested in engagement practices for Black students, White students, and the mixed-race college student population at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and non-HBCUs. The authors asked the following research questions: How does engagement compare for Black, White, and biracial students with…

The US population is becoming more educated, but large gaps in postsecondary attainment based on race or ethnicity remain, particularly at more selective colleges. As a growing number of jobs require a college degree, it is imperative to increase college access among all racial and ethnic groups. In this report, we examined whether different…

While research has shown that the racial diversity of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) is increasing, literature suggests that some stakeholders at HBCUs feel the diversification of Black colleges could change their culture, which some see as vital for promoting the success of Black students. Given this, the following study…

In 2004 a near 30-year legal battle over higher education desegregation in Mississippi was settled with the state's historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to receive US$503 million over the course of 17 years. Nearly 65% of this funding is directed toward the recruitment and support of White students, with a significant share of…

Previous studies have reported that African-American students attending HBCUs consume less alcohol and experience fewer negative consequences compared to students attending other public colleges and universities (Fowler, 2001). Factors such as religion (Kapner, 2008), alcohol-free campus policies (Wechsler, Lee, Gledhill-Hoyt, & Nelson, 2001),…

When fans of intercollegiate basketball see the month of March approach, they know it's time for the near-marathon round of March Madness when the best of the nation's college basketball teams square off in a battle to the finish for the NCAA Division I championship. It's the month when basketball powerhouses seek to reaffirm their status and…