2019/06/26 by Kofi Lomotey · 3 citations
Psychology · Social Sciences · #Critical Race Theory in Education #Critical race theory #Diverse Education Studies and Reforms #Exploratory research #Gender studies #Pedagogy #Psychology #Qualitative research #Race (biology) #Social psychology #Social science #Sociology #Teacher Education and Leadership Studies #Transformational leadership
paper · doi:10.3102/0013189x19858619
openalex publication_date 2019/06/26 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/25
In this exploratory review, I consider research on Black women principals for the period 1993 to 2017, using 57 research reports obtained from dissertations, journal articles, and a book chapter. This exploration is of particular significance given the continuous disenfranchisement and subsequent underachievement of Black children in U.S. schools and the importance of black women principals in addressing this quagmire. I highlight the methodological and theoretical traits of these studies, single out overstressed approaches, and highlight the most significant gaps in research on Black women principals. Major findings are (1) the large majority of studies on Black women principals appear in dissertations; (2) researchers studying Black women principals explore the lived experiences of Black women principals (e.g., race, gender) and aspects of the leadership of these women (e.g., transformational leadership); (3) the most common theoretical framework in these studies is Black Feminist Thought, followed by Critical Race Theory and Standpoint Theory; (4) all of the studies employed qualitative methods, while a few also included quantitative methods; (5) the principals who were studied served in elementary, middle, and high schools; and (6) spirituality, race, and gender are important to these leaders. Following a discussion of the findings, I conclude with implications for (1) future research, (2) the preparation of aspiring principals, and (3) the professional development of practicing principals.