Although there is an increase in literature on Black women's leadership in academia, the majority of studies have concentrated on their experiences at institutions that are predominately White (Jean-Marie & Tickles, 2017, p. 102). Furthermore, despite advanced degrees and a strong presence in most professional areas, women remained excluded from decision-making roles such senior officers and academic leaders (Chisholm-Burns et al., 2017, p. 312). However, along with succession challenges, the glass cliff phenomenon--the act of placing minorities in executive, corporate, or political leadership roles more likely during times when the chance of failure is highest (Billings, 2019, p. 35)--poses an additional threat to women transitioning into leadership. Because adaptive leadership strategies guide leaders toward effectively mobilizing others to "tackle tough challenges and thrive" (Heifetz et al., 2009, p. 14), the dissertation study explores the relationship between women presidents at historically Black colleges and universities and the utilization of adaptive leadership strategies to guard against the effects of the glass cliff phenomenon. [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.]