Georgia Southern University Digital Commons@Georgia Southern Electronic Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies, Jack N. Averitt College of Fall 2009 Nappy Roots, Split Ends, and New Growth: An Autobiographical Narrative Inquiry into The Experiences of A Black Female Educator, No Lye Michel Linee Mitchell Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd Recommended Citation Mitchell, Michel Linee, "Nappy Roots, Split Ends, and New Growth: An Autobiographical Narrative Inquiry into The Experiences of A Black Female Educator, No Lye" (2009). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 539. https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/539 This dissertation (open access) is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies, Jack N. Averitt College of at Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. For more information, please contact [email protected]. NAPPY ROOTS, SPLIT ENDS, AND NEW GROWTH: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL NARRATIVE INQUIRY INTO THE EXPERIENCES OF A BLACK FEMALE EDUCATOR, NO LYE by MICHEL LINEE MITCHELL (Under the Direction of Ming Fang He) ABSTRACT Using autobiographical narrative inquiry, I explore the ways that race, gender, class, culture, and place shape who I was and how I became who I am as a Black woman educator. Family members, colleagues, community members, and students are the main characters in my stories. Building on the works of Collins (2000), Cross (1991), Gay (2000), He (2003), hooks (2000), and Tatum (1997), I use Black women hair metaphors such as nappy roots, split ends, new growth, and no lye to comb through the phases of my life. For the purpose of protecting the characters and myself in my stories, I have fictionalized characters, events, settings, and time to capture the complexities of Black girlhood and to provide the space necessary to identify recurring themes of resilience, strength, and determination embedded in the stories of my life. Although there is a large body of research literature on autobiographies that explore teachers’ personal and professional identities, few texts explore the influence of race, gender, class, culture, and place on the development of identities from a Critical Race Theory and Black Feminist Thought standpoint. I use hair metaphors to narrate my experience as a mobile urban youth growing up in the U. S. South. Each incident, much like the lye in a perm or wave kit, seeps into my pores, creating not only a new and different style through which to story and (re)story my life, but also a story to be added to the limited body of literature on the complexities of Black girlhood. Although this study focuses on my personal experience of race, gender, class, culture, and place, it has implications for educators, teachers, administrators, parents, and education policy makers to understand the identity development of Black girls, their cultural roots, learning styles, academic achievements, and highest potentials in schools and greater social environments. I hope that my study could in some ways act as a force to demolish “the White Architects of Black Education” (Watkins, 2001). These hair stories are counterstories that challenge the stereotypical meta-narratives about Black women, evoke dialogues about the suppressing and controlling images of Black women, and incite changes in the ways Black women are defined and educated, and the ways they live their lives. INDEX WORDS: Narrative Inquiry, Autobiography, Identity, Race, Place, Culture, Black Feminist Thought, Critical Race Theory 2 NAPPY ROOTS, SPLIT ENDS, AND NEW GROWTH: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL NARRATIVE INQUIRY INTO THE EXPERIENCES OF A BLACK FEMALE EDUCATOR, NO LYE by MICHEL LINEE MITCHELL B.L.S. Armstrong Atlantic State University, 2003 M.Ed. Armstrong Atlantic State University, 2005 A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Georgia Southern University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF EDUCATION STATESBORO, GEORGIA 2009 3 © 2009 MICHEL LINEE MICHELL All Rights Reserved 4 NAPPY ROOTS, SPLIT ENDS, AND NEW GROWTH: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL NARRATIVE INQUIRY INTO THE EXPERIENCES OF A BLACK FEMALE EDUCATOR, NO LYE by MICHEL LINEE MITCHELL Major Professor: Ming Fang He Committee: Delores Liston Sharon Brooks William Ayers Election Version Approved: December 2009 5 DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to my family and my students. The words in this text are only possible because of my mother’s commitment to my biological father, my step- father, and most importantly, her girls. This text is for my mother- LaVonda Jean Hunt-in appreciation for teaching me the relationship between education and independence. These words are for my sisters-Nicole, Candice, and Tangie in appreciation of their love and support and their role in my socialization. To my sister, Kimberly Reynolds, your strength, courage, and resiliency are my inspiration. You are my hero. In appreciation of your hugs and kisses, Jeremiah, Kayla, and Harrison, these words are for you. To my best friend, Rockie Hadley, your love and friendship are the fuel that keeps me going. To my students, we know that urban schools are gold mines-It’s up to you to show the world. You all have given me a reason to believe in the possibilities of EDUCATION. 6 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I would like to thank Dr. Ming Fang He, my phenomenal major professor. Your contributions to narrative inquiry and the field of Curriculum Studies helped create a space for my inquiry. Dr. He your timely constructive criticism encouraged me to complete the task at hand. When I felt like giving up, your words of encouragement gave me the push I needed to keep on writing. You helped me understand the value in writing about my lived experiences. Thank you for encouraging me to complete a nontraditional dissertation. You have given me a space to use my life as a testimony of the complexities of Black girlhood. I would like to thank my committee members: Dr. Delores Liston, Dr. Sharon Brooks, and Dr. William Ayers. Dr. Liston, your critiques were tough, yet specific and constructive. Thank you for helping me to understand the significance of Black Feminist Thought. Dr. Brooks, thank you for your careful reading of my work and your insight on culturally relevant pedagogy. Dr. Ayers, thank you for your time, insight and encouragement. Not everyone understands that the professional is personal. Thank you for contributing to that body of literature. I would like to thank my Soul Patrol: Rockie Hadley, Kimberly Reynolds, and Corey Edwards. Rockie, your unwavering support and encouragement throughout this process is greatly appreciated. Thank you for all of the hotamales, peppermints, and cards. They kept me awake during my late night writing. Kimberly, your triumphs are my inspiration. Thank you for listening to all of my ramblings and frustrations. You are officially a stakeholder in this dissertation. Corey, thank you for not being selfish with your knowledge, you inspired the development of my Black conscious. You are the 7 smartest person I know. I appreciate all of the support and encouragement you all gave me. To the women in my family-my mother, my sisters, my grandmother, my aunts- thank you for imparting in me spirituality, resiliency, determination, and strength, all traits needed to navigate through the complexities of Black girlhood. I would like to thank Dr. Smalls-Reed for helping me understand when to hold and when to fold. As I progressed through stages of nigrescence, you helped me stay grounded. To Michelle Sisson, ML, Consuela Ward, Mary Knight, and Olivia Ammonds, I would like to thank you all for your continuous support and encouragement. Thank you for believing in me. Lastly, I have to thank my students. Thank you all for encouraging, supporting, and believing in me. You all tolerated my tense moments and listened to my frustrations. You all made this work necessary and possible. I love you all. 8 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS………………………………………………….……………7 PROLOGUE……………………………………….…………………………………….12 CHAPTER 1 NAPPY ROOTS…………………………………………………………24 Shear Delight………………...…………………………………..29 Deep Conditioned…………………………………………..……32 Locked Up ……………………………….…………………...…34 Processed Out ………...………………………………………….38 Whoopti Do ………………………………………..……...……..39 Weaving the Family Back Together…………………...………...40 Over-Processed ………………………………………………….43 Breakage……………………………………………………..…..45 Entangled Times..................................…………………………..47 Baby Hair …………………...…………………………………...49 Super Gro ………………………………...……………………...51 Brush Fire ………………………………………………………..54 Unbeweaveable ……………………………………………….…56 Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow………………………………....…57 Root Stimulator………………………………………………......58 Shear Intensity…………………………………………...………62 Nappy Roots Untangled………………………………...………..66 9 2 SPLIT ENDS: STRAND ONE……………………………………………….….68 Cut Loose ……………………………………………….……….70 Parted….………………………………………………..………..72 Hair Raising……………………………………..……………….73 It’s a Wrap………….……………………..…………………...…74 Roots……………….………………..…………………………...75 Wrapped Up……………………………………………………...77 Twisted...........................................................................................79 Pressed…………………………………………...………...…….80 Split Ends: Strand One Trimmed………………………………...83 3 SPLIT ENDS: STRAND TWO………………………………………………….85 Shedding Tears……………………………………….….……….88 The Mane Event………………………………………….………88 Flipped Out……………………...……………………………….90