The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of black women band directors at the secondary and collegiate levels. The goal was to understand their experiences that shaped them as educators and contributors to the profession. A secondary goal was to explore the personal and structural factors that served as support systems and challenges for their careers. This study looked to uncover the participants' perception of the following questions using the methodology of narrative inquiry: (1) In what ways have participants in the study experienced support and challenges in the advancement of their careers? (2) What values do participants in the study hold as an educator? (3) How has the intersectionality of being black and female informed or shaped the careers of the participants in the study? The participants were seven black females that are current or retired secondary or collegiate band directors. An analysis was done in order to find commonalities across the data. Those data consisted of interview transcripts of fourteen individual interviews from the seven participants. The study resulted in six themes being developed: (1) racial and gender discrimination, (2) representation, (3) resilience, (4) philosophy on teaching, (5) inspiration to pursue music, and (6) support. [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.]