Award Date

12-1-2017

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Teaching and Learning

First Committee Member

Christine Clark

Second Committee Member

Howard Gordon

Third Committee Member

Steven Bickmore

Fourth Committee Member

Harriet E. Barlow

Fifth Committee Member

Katrina Harris

Sixth Committee Member

Kathryn H. Korgan

Number of Pages

484

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the connection between education and employment outcomes for African American males through the dual lenses of Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Stereotype Threat (ST) in the historical context of the 1965 Moynihan Report. A qualitative case study design allowed for the collection of rich data through in-depth interviews designed to elicit the Black male participants’ perspectives and lived experience of education and employment. For more than fifty years, the trajectory of African American male education and employment has been a negative one. This study documented, in their own voice, the African American males’ viewpoint of education and job opportunities at various education levels. There are studies that show the persistent education gap between Black males and their non - Black cohorts. In addition, there are studies that show a similarly persistent gap between Black male and White male employment. However, few studies have used a qualitative approach that sought to hear from Black males directly. This study will help fill that gap by interviewing and gathering artifacts from 8 Black males at six levels of education; high school dropout, high school graduate, community college graduate, and college graduates with a Bachelor’s degree, a Master’s degree, and or a Doctorate degree. The first chapter presented the problem statement, background on the problem, a statement of purpose, introduction to the research questions, some operational definitions, the conceptual frameworks, my connection to the study, a brief review of the topic literature, a brief review of case study method, limitations of the study, and the significance of the study.

Chapter 2 reviewed the relevant literature on the state of the problem, starting with a brief history of Black male education and employment in America since slavery. The chapter then reviewed the relevant literature on the dual conceptual frameworks, and the Moynihan report as historical context for the study. Next, chapter 2 reviewed relevant studies on Black male education and employment. Chapter 2 summarized the status of Black males in order to set the stage for this research examining the Black male perspective through the lens of Critical Race Theory and Stereotype Threat.

Chapter 3 reiterated the conceptual frameworks of CRT and ST, in the context of Moynihan Report. The rationale for choosing the qualitative research methodology and the multi-case study design was outlined. The paper explained the role of the researcher, elaborated the research questions, and described the participants, relevant ethics, data collections, data analysis, and timeline.

Chapter 4 showed the findings of the participants lived experiences including portraits of the eight participants, method of analysis, the five themes derived from the data; education, family, neighborhood, jobs and racism.

Chapter 5 examined discussions, conclusions, and recommendation from the data. A findings analysis was conducted which answers the research questions, relating the findings to Critical Race Theory, to Stereotype Threat, and historical context of the Moynihan Report. The chapter closed with the limitations of the study, implications for future research, and recommendations for policy.

Keywords

African American male; Black education; Black employment; Critical Race Theory; Moynihan Report; Stereotype Threat

Disciplines

African American Studies | American Studies | Ethnic Studies | Race and Ethnicity | Race, Ethnicity and Post-Colonial Studies

File Format

pdf

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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