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BENEATH THE HANGING MOSS THE JOURNEY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN FEMALE ARTIST/EDUCATORS AT A HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE A Doctoral Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the College of Education University of Houston In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Education by Lynnette Marshea Gilbert December 2017 Acknowledgement “For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.” Ephesians 1:15-16 I, first, must acknowledge my Lord and Savior, to God I give all the honor and praise. I would like to thank my family, friends, “YaYas”, and my UH family. Their constant support, encouragement, and love truly ignited my will and determination. I am completely grateful for the research participants. Thank you for allowing me to enter and interrupt your lives for a moment, so you may share with me your journey as an African American female art educator. Without you, absolutely none of this would be possible. The commitment of my committee has been unflagging and I am thankful for your knowledge and guidance throughout my entire process. I would also like to acknowledge African American female art educators of our past, who paved the way for developing artists like myself. Your work has inspired and it continues to inspire me. You lit the torch and I will continue to carry it and pass it along to other young aspiring female artists. Lastly, to my brilliant father, Dr. Johnny Gilbert. You are the original “doctor of philosophy” in our family. Your intellect is like none other and your strength is never surpassing, but above all your love is everlasting. In tribute to my mother, Ms. Johnnie Maberry, words truly cannot express my affection towards you and your contributions to our “art world.” You are my muse. I submit this research with a humble heart full of gratitude, for my path was not easy and I did not tread it alone. I was surrounded by the love and support of those closest to me, and for this I am forever grateful. Abstract Background: Incorporating the histories and works of art of African Americans from a multicultural perspective could enhance understandings of American heritage and contributions in art education. African American artists have served as important artistic and historical figures; however, they have often been left out or minimalized throughout the history of art education. It is necessary to incorporate African American artists into art education to help shape students’ understanding, in a deliberate way, of African Americans on art and art education and the impactful role of historically black colleges in African Americans’ teacher training. Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative inquiry was to investigate the experiences of female African American artists/educators who are graduates of the same historically black college. The study explored how participants’ self-reported influences, obstacles, and experiences in art teacher education transcended into their development into art educators. This study is an important addition to art education literature in that it presents African American women perspectives on the effect of context and pedagogy on their development of style and method of teaching art. Methods: Data were collected using case study qualitative methods. The participants included five African American female artists/educators, which included the researcher. Participants were selected through purposeful sampling and then interviewed. The researcher transcribed and compared participants’ responses and established themes. Results: Data analysis showed common themes of choosing a historically black college, experiences and influences, and how these influences transcended into personal teacher practices. Participants’ narratives reflected unique experiences that prepared them in the field of art education. Conclusion: The conclusion reveals the historical relevance of historically black colleges and universities in educating African American female artists/educators. Their perspectives on how their teacher training influenced their development as art educators is important because it adds a voice that is seldom heard. v Table of Contents Chapter Page I. Introduction ............................................................................................................. 11 Statement of Problem ...................................................................................... 13 Purpose of Study .............................................................................................. 14 Significance of Study ...................................................................................... 21 Definition of Key Terms ................................................................................. 23 Summary .......................................................................................................... 25 II. Literature Review ................................................................................................... 26 Identity for African American Artists ............................................................. 27 Socio-cultural Influences ................................................................................. 42 The Teacher Training of African American Artist/Educators ......................... 46 Summary .......................................................................................................... 51 III. Methodology .......................................................................................................... 52 Qualitative Inquiry .......................................................................................... 52 Case Study ....................................................................................................... 53 Research Question ........................................................................................... 54 Subjectivity Statement ..................................................................................... 55 Participants ...................................................................................................... 57 Setting .............................................................................................................. 61 Access and Entry ............................................................................................ 62 Data Collection ................................................................................................ 63 Interview Protocol ........................................................................................... 64 Data Analysis ................................................................................................... 66 Coding ............................................................................................................ 67 Triangulation .................................................................................................. 68 Limitations of the Study .................................................................................. 69 Summary .......................................................................................................... 70 IV. Findings ................................................................................................................ 72 Tougaloo College: A Brief Description ......................................................... 73 Choosing Tougaloo College ............................................................................ 74 Experiences and Perceptions ........................................................................... 79 Transfer of Knowledge .................................................................................... 89 Summary .......................................................................................................... 94 V. Conclusion ............................................................................................................. 95 Summary of Study .......................................................................................... 95 Summary of Findings ...................................................................................... 96 Future Research ............................................................................................. 102 References ................................................................................................................. 105 Appendix A IRB Approval Letter ............................................................................. 111 Appendix B Tougaloo College Letter of Authorization ........................................... 113 Appendix C Recruitment Flyer ................................................................................. 114 Appendix D Consent Form ........................................................................................ 115 Appendix E Participant Questionnaire ..................................................................... 119 Appendix F Interview Protocol ................................................................................ 120 Appendix G Proposal Letter for a major in Art ........................................................ 122 Appendix H Letter to Professor Schnell from participant Dorothy Vaughn ............ 125 Appendix I Letters to participants Dorothy Vaughn and Johnnie Mae Maberry ..... 126 Appendix J Tougaloo College transcript from participant Lynnette Gilbert ............ 128 vii List of Tables