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AFRICAN AMERICAN PERCEPTIONS REGARDING INVOLVEMENT OF THEIR RACE IN THE FIELD OF AVIATION/AEROSPACE By KEITH LORONE HARDIMAN Bachelor of Business Administration Langston University Langston, Oklahoma 2003 Master of Organizational Leadership Webster University St. Louis, Missouri 2004 Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate College of the Oklahoma State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF EDUCATION May 07, 2010 i AFRICAN AMERICAN PERCEPTIONS REGARDING INVOLVEMENT OF THEIR RACE IN THE FIELD OF AVIATION/AEROSPACE Dissertation Approved: Dr. Mary Kutz Dissertation Adviser Dr. Steve Marks Dr. Timm Bliss Dr. Lynna Ausburn Dr. A. Gordon Emslie Dean of the Graduate College ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The completion of this dissertation would not have been possible without the help of God and several people. I would like to recognize my advisor Dr. Mary Kutz for her role and aid in this process. Words alone cannot express my gratitude for her coaching during this effort. She has played a great role in achievement of my goal to earn a doctoral degree. Thank you for being a wonderful person, educator, and advisor. I would also like to express my appreciation to the other members of my committee for their guidance and support including Dr. Lynna Ausburn, Dr. Timm Bliss and Dr. Steve Marks. Special acknowledgement and appreciation is expressed to all of the participants who shared their valuable experiences and thoughts with me, Finally I wish to thank my family for their encouragement and support; to my wife Mavia for her support, love, and continued encouragement in everything I have done and also to my children Gavin and Braylon for being my inspiration to make it through this process. To the Hardiman family, Brown family, Glover family, my extended family and friends for always standing by me and pushing me to excellence. You all have played key roles in my life by instilling in me the importance of a strong work ethic, education, integrity and the ideal that anything worth having is worth working hard for. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page I. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................1 Statement of the Problem .........................................................................................2 Purpose of the Study ................................................................................................2 Research Questions ..................................................................................................3 Definitions of Key Terms ........................................................................................3 Limitations and Assumptions of the Study ..............................................................4 Significance of the Study .........................................................................................4 Theoretical Framework: Critical Theory .................................................................4 II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE....................................................................................7 History of African Americans in Aviation ...............................................................7 The Level of African American Participation in the Aerospace Industry .............11 Obstacles and Barriers Affecting African American Participation........................13 Opportunities for African Americans in Aviation/Aerospace ...............................14 Opportunity, Education, Mentors ..........................................................................18 Current African American Participation and Role Models ....................................21 III. METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................25 Introduction ............................................................................................................25 Phenomenological Inquiry .....................................................................................26 Population and Sample ..........................................................................................28 Instrumentation ......................................................................................................29 Procedures………………………………………………………………………..29 Demographics ........................................................................................................30 Data Analysis .........................................................................................................32 Validity and Reliability of Data .............................................................................32 iv Chapter Page IV. FINDINGS .............................................................................................................34 Introduction ............................................................................................................34 Level of Participation .............................................................................................35 Roles That African Americans Have Played In History ..................................35 Perceived Level of Participation ......................................................................38 Equal Opportunity to Compete ........................................................................43 Programs that Encourage Participation ............................................................47 Roles that Education Play ................................................................................50 Perceptions and Attitudes Toward the Industry .....................................................52 Experience In the Industry ...............................................................................52 Inspiration To Enter the Industry .....................................................................56 Knowledge of African American History ........................................................59 Opportunities for Success ......................................................................................62 Personal Opportunities for Success .................................................................62 Future Generations Opportunities for Success ................................................64 Obstacles and Barriers ...........................................................................................67 Barriers or Obstacles that Hinder Involvement and Success ...........................67 Recommendations to Encourage Further Participation ........................................70 Recommendations For Encouraging Participation ..........................................70 Culture and Impact On Involvement and Noninvolvement .............................73 Role that Education Plays in Stimulating Participation ...................................77 Social Change That May Have Affected Interest and Participation ................79 Summary of Findings ............................................................................................82 Summary of Findings Related To Level of Participation ................................82 Summary of Findings Related To Attitudes ....................................................86 Summary of Findings Related To Opportunities For Success .........................88 Summary of Findings Related To Obstacles and Barriers ...............................90 Summary of Findings Related To Recommendations To Encourage Further Participation ...........................................................................................................90 Themes Noted in Study ....................................................................................93 V. CONCLUSIONS AND RECCOMENDATIONS .................................................95 Introduction ............................................................................................................95 Conclusions Perceptions Related To the Level of Participation .......................95 Conclusions Regarding Attitudes Toward the Aerospace Industry ..................96 v Conclusions Regarding Opportunities For Success ..........................................96 Conclusions Regarding Obstacles and Barriers ................................................97 Conclusions Regarding Recommendations to Encourage Future Participation97 Recommendations ..................................................................................................98 Conclusion .............................................................................................................99 REFERENCES ..........................................................................................................101 APPENDICES ...........................................................................................................106 APPENDIX-A-INTERVIEW GUIDE AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS ..........107 APPENDIX-B-PARTICIPATION LETTER ......................................................110 APPENDIX-C-PARTICIPATION FORM ..........................................................113 APPENDIX-D-INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD FORM ..........................115 APPENDIX-E-COPYRIGHT PERMISSION .....................................................117 vi LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Percentage of High School Dropout by Ethnicity.................................................18 2. Percentage of College Graduation Rates by Ethnicity ..........................................20 3. Percentage of Pilot and Flight Engineer ................................................................22