Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) serve as cultural sanctuaries fortified to affirm the value, importance, and life possibilities of African American (Black) and other underserved student populations. These institutions were founded to empower formerly enslaved African Americans and have maintained a legacy of opening the doors of higher education to African Americans and other marginalized students who might otherwise be excluded. Using narrative inquiry, this study examined the life histories of 21 African Americans who graduated from HBCUs to better understand their academic, personal, and professional life experiences. Critical race theory was deployed in a cross-case and within-case analysis to gain an in-depth understanding of the roles racial identity, racial injustice, and spiritual resilience play in their life histories. The following findings emerged: (1) African American HBCU graduates garnered a significant amount of socio-emotional, cultural, and academic benefits from attending HBCUs that enhanced their ability to thrive in multiple areas of life, (2) African American HBCU graduates experienced varying degrees of race-related trauma and stress that threatened their wellbeing, (3) Spirituality played a positive role in African American HBCU graduates' ability to overcome race-related trauma and stress, (4) A significant number of African American HBCU graduates presented an emancipatory form of strength that empowered them to overcome race-related threats and become advocates for social justice in the African American community, (5) Transformative Spiritual Resilience as a theory and theoretical model was synthesized to further explain the emancipatory strength demonstrated by African American HBCU graduates. This study has educational practice, policy and research implications regarding the need for increased inclusion and support of African American students seeking admission to HBCUs. These findings also point to the pivotal role HBCUs play in securing social justice and equality for African Americans and other marginalized groups in the United States. [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.]