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TRANSFORMATIONAL EXPERIENCES OF AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN: THEIR CRITICAL REFLECTIONS AS FORMER MIGRANTS WHO EVOLVED FROM HARVEST OF SHAME TO SEEDS OF HOPE by Idell McLaughlin-Jones A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of The College of Education In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, FL December 2014 Copyright 2014 by Idell McLaughlin-Jones ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Completion of this dissertation could not have been possible without the support, guidance, and encouragement of many. I feel richly blessed to have had responsive professors, colleagues, friends, and family who contributed immensely to the completion of this project. Words are inadequate in expressing my heartfelt thanks to my committee chair, Dr. Valerie Bryan, for believing in me when I doubted, for understanding my personal trials, and for creating an atmosphere of shared professional camaraderie. Her continued expertise, critiques, and tactful diplomacy guided me through what seemed, at times, to be a never-ending process. Sincere appreciation is also extended to my dissertation committee members, Dr. Eliah J. Watlington and Dr. Victor C. X. Wang, for their valuable contributions and time. Appreciation, as well, is extended to Florida Atlantic University professors who aided my growth and encouraged the pursuit of my dissertation topic: Dr. Ira Bogotch, Dr. Lucy Guglielmino, Dr. John Hardman, and Dr. Eliah Watlington, to name a few. Their guidance has made this an enriching and rewarding journey. The opportunity for professional growth also was enhanced by supportive colleagues from Palm Beach State College, especially the Palm Beach State cohort. Not only did my computer skills improve with Sean Smith’s help, but life-long friendships were formed as we worked on committees, organized study sessions, and exchanged ideas. Special thanks to Nancy McDonald whose friendship, intellect, and encyclopedic iv knowledge encouraged me, whose creative flair was responsible for adding “Seeds of Hope” to my dissertation title, and whose husband welcomed me into their home. Thanks Aaron McDonald for many dinners and bunches of grapes, my favorite fruit. Thanks and gratitude to the nine African American female study participants who willingly shared their stories and allowed me into their homes, offices, or comfortable meeting places. Had their stories not been shared, completion of this dissertation would have been impossible. Thanks to my friends, you know who you are, who supported this endeavor and offered to assist in any way possible, especially Yeudele Allen and Jannatte Sharpe-Paul. Thanks, loud and clear, to my family who has been my rock throughout this process. When I decided to pursue my Ph.D., the outpouring of continual love, support, and encouragement sustained me through both challenging and extraordinary times. Thanks, especially to my sister, Mary Kindred Evans, who helped identify and locate four study participants. When feeling overwhelmed, it was my sister in her own special way that made me smile by reciting or singing these spiritual song lyrics: “Trouble Don’t Last Always.” Thanks also to my daughter and son-in-law, Patrikka and Lens Georges, who have been my sounding board, proofreaders, and critics through the entire process. They have promoted, encouraged and delighted in the dissertation progress with loving support. v ABSTRACT Author: Idell McLaughlin Title: Transformational Experiences of African American Women: Their Critical Reflections as Former Migrants Who Evolved from Harvest of Shame to Seeds of Hope Institution: Florida Atlantic University Dissertation Advisor: Dr. Valerie Bryan Degree: Doctor of Philosophy Year: 2014 Narrative inquiry was the qualitative method utilized to collect stories related to former migrant African American females who transformed their lives from migrant workers and found alternative career paths. Sustained poverty among migratory workers created a disenfranchised culture of uneducated citizens. A large part of this labor force was women. It was expected that this culture of poverty would perpetuate itself through generations. The universal stereotypes associated with impoverished migrants were so ingrained that overwhelmingly the majority of migrants accepted a life of poverty as prophesy. However, some former migrant African American women defied odds and rose above the cumulative effects of poverty. The major findings of this study revealed factors that significantly contributed to their success in a variety of professional careers: consistent family support, adaptive coping skills, catalyst for change, transformative learning, and meaningful relationships vi with non-family members, and commitment to community service. Sub-findings emerged that revealed that these additional factors also contributed to their success: value placed on education, strong belief in God, and leadership skills. Identifying factors most significant in former migrant African American women becoming successful in a multiplicity of professional careers can encourage and serve as representative examples of how other impoverished women may escape the "culture of poverty" stereotype. The unfolding stories of these former migrant African American women provided them a platform to unmute their muted voices. Additionally, the wisdom of their words and hardships of their youth speak volumes to the heart of all women who may have been disenfranchised or disheartened at any point in their lives. vii DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to my grandchildren: Jathan, Jayla, and Justus. May your voices never be muted. vii TRANSFORMATIONAL EXPERIENCES OF AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN: THEIR CRITICAL REFLECTIONS AS FORMER MIGRANTS WHO EVOLVED FROM HARVEST OF SHAME TO SEEDS OF HOPE List of Tables ...................................................................................................................xiii List of Figures ..................................................................................................................xiv I. Introduction .....................................................................................................................1 Problem Statement ........................................................................................................4 Purpose Statement .........................................................................................................5 Central Research Questions ..........................................................................................5 Sub-Questions .........................................................................................................5 Operational Definitions .................................................................................................6 Limitations ....................................................................................................................7 Delimitations .................................................................................................................8 Role of the Researcher ..................................................................................................8 Significance of Study ..................................................................................................10 Chapter Summary .......................................................................................................11 II. Literature Review .........................................................................................................13 Historical Overview of Migrant Labor in America ....................................................14 African American Female Migrants ...........................................................................20 The Documentary Harvest of Shame (1960) and Harvest of Shame viii Revisited (2010) ..........................................................................................................21 The Devastating Effects of Poverty ............................................................................24 Transitioning From Poverty to Empowerment ...........................................................27 Critical Social Theory .................................................................................................29 Transformational Learning .........................................................................................31 Andragogy and Self-Directed Learning ......................................................................37 Chapter Summary .......................................................................................................42 III. Methodology ...............................................................................................................43 Research Design ..........................................................................................................43 Central Research Questions ........................................................................................43 Sub-Questions .......................................................................................................44 Narrative Inquiry..........................................................................................................44 Research Setting and Sites ..........................................................................................46 Sampling Plan .............................................................................................................48 Sample Population ......................................................................................................49