A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY ON HOW BLACK MALES EXPERIENCE WHITE CHRISTIAN INSTITUTIONS

Abstract

This phenomenological study explored how Black Christian males experience white Christian colleges and universities. The environment at Christian institutions is most often influenced by white religious norms and, as such, the environment that Christian Black males experience could have detrimental effects on their collegiate success (Blumhofer, 2002). Recent literature explores the issues that challenge Black male college students: Black male enrollment and college choice; Black male persistence; and the support measures required to ensure Black male students’ success. Black males’ experiences at non-Christian institutions have been studied extensively, but little is known about the experiences of Christian Black males attending Christian higher education institutions. The research literature on Black male students at Christian higher education institutions is largely understudied. Environments can shape experiences, and it is important to understand Black male experiences when they come to a predominately white Christian institution (Chavous, 2000). Using hermeneutic phenomenology, the study explored the “lived experiences” of Black male Christian collegians (van Manen, 1990, 2014). By understanding the experiences of Black male students at Christian institutions, institutions can construct environments that help enhance the success of Black male Christian students.