TIGHTROPE WALKERS: NARRATIVES OF ACADEMICALLY SUCCESSFUL AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN ATTENDING PREDOMINATELY WHITE INSTITUTIONS Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Christina S. Haynes, MA, Graduate Program in Education The Ohio State University 2013 Dissertation Committee: Professor Mary E. Thomas, Advisor Professor Tatiana Suspitsyna Professor Beverly J. Moss Copyright by Christina S. Haynes 2013 ABSTRACT This dissertation uses Black feminist standpoint theory and feminist geography to construct a new approach for understanding how academically successful African American women students construct and reconstruct their identities while attending predominately White institutions (PWIs). The primary research takes place against the backdrop of an investigation into the lacunae of educational scholarship that examines why African American women are not performing well at PWIs. Many of these studies define Black women as social outsiders, as unprepared, and as lacking academic abilities. This research often fails to ask how Black women characterize their higher educational experiences, and it overlooks the fact that many Black women students not only perform as well as other students but also exceed academic expectations while negotiating an environment that has been historically antagonistic toward them. This qualitative study uses one-on-one interviews of academically successful African American women attending a Midwestern PWI for its primary data. By integrating geographic theories about space with perspectives from Black feminist standpoint theory and intersectionality theory, I demonstrate that Black women at PWIs develop socio-spatial practices that offer a counter-narrative to established negative stereotypes of African American women. I also investigate the ways that color-blind racism influences how these women identify themselves. I conclude by arguing that their standpoint empowers them to be successful, but it also limits their choices. Though ii African American women are influenced by color-blind racism, these women conditionally challenge, reinforce, and reproduce it in their socio-spatial practices. Academically successful women walk a tightrope in higher education, at times silencing their resentment, anger, and anxiety while promoting equality and “sameness” between themselves and White students. iii DEDICATION The Haynes family iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENT It has been a long road to get here, and I am very well aware that I did not get her alone. I feel such gratitude that I am finally able to write the acknowledgements for my dissertation because I did not know if I would get to this point. I would like to thank my family for all of their support and belief in me. First of all I would like to thank “the pretty ladies” – Shonett Haynes-Williams and Afton Haynes. I would like to thank my oldest sister, Shonett Haynes-Williams, for all of your support and advice. You are the best big sister, and I know that I can pick up the phone and talk to you about everything and you will know just what to do or to say so that I will fell better. I would like to thank my younger sister, Afton Haynes, for all of your encouragement and kind words. I know how proud you are of me, and I hope that I have been a big sister that you felt that you could look up to. I have always enjoyed the fact that we have similar senses of humor and the fact that we can still giggle and laugh at each others jokes even after all of these years. To my mother, Violet Haynes, you are the most supportive mother- ever. You have always known who I was and always reminded me of my roots when I was feeling low. Your wisdom and your ability to remind me of what is really important in life have been such as gift. As I get older, I feel as though our relationship has gotten better and deeper. I appreciate that you always wanted the best for my sisters and me and that you tried to create great memories for us when we were kids. I respect you and how you v carry yourself. You are such a classy lady, but you have such a great sense of fairness and integrity, and you expect this from everyone around you. To my father, Curtis Haynes, you are the rock of our family. I remember someone telling me a few years ago that I am not really impressed by most men and that I had high expectations for people. I can honestly say that that is true because of you. I grew up with and sat across the table for a man that is impressive, so I know what a man is suppose to behave. You have always been there for the women in your life, and you wanted the best for us. You are a calm, kind-hearted and strong man who put the needs of his family above his own. You have accomplished so much in your life, and I am so proud to be your daughter. To my husband, Ray Block, I thank you for your encouragement and support. Ray, you have been so patient throughout this process. I am so happy that this process is done so that we can start a new chapter of our lives. You have always believed in me and had confidence that I could do anything that I put my mind to. Because of this, you have helped me start to believe it. We have struggled together and had some hard times, but we have also shared some good times. I am grateful to be on our journey together. I would like to express my gratitude to my brother-in-law Terell Williams and the Block family for their encouragement while writing my dissertation. Thank you Joyce Block, Mark Block, Tanya Jones, Shamonda Brooker, Jared Brooker, and Landon Brooker for sending my positive vibes from California. I would like to thank some teachers that have influenced me at a young age: Ms. Dykes, Ms. Daugherty, Ms. Lee and Ms. Bosworth. All of you had such a great impact on my love of education in general and my love of reading specifically. All of you told vi me how special I was and made sure to pay attention to me though I was so painfully shy--you planted the seeds that have lead me to this point. I would like to that Dr. Miche. You were the first person that I met in my life that I knew was brilliant. You were also the first person that told me that I was smart during my college career--and for some reason I believed you! I loved you so much for daring to be yourself and I loved all of the classes that I took with you. You are such a wonderful person of great integrity. Dr. Williams and Dr. Moore, I would like to thank you both for all of the knowledge and support that you have given me. You were the first African Americans that I met that had doctorial degrees and you were REAL PEOPLE. Thank you for setting such high standards and for believing in me. Thank you for encouraging me to go to graduate school and to pursue my academic goals. I would like to thank Dr. Walter Rucker and Dr. Beverly Gordon and for all of your encouragement and support in helping me get into a PhD program. Thank you, thank you, and thank you. I would like to thank Dr. Beverly Moss. You have always looked out for me. I am genuinely touched by the kindness and sweetness that you have always shown me. You gave me not only a job but also a place in which I felt comfortable working during my time in graduate school. Thank you so much for serving on my committee and providing me with so much support. You have always been someone that I could talk to and confide in. Thank you so much for helping me. vii Dr. Tatiana Suspitsyna, I am so happy that you served on my committee, and for all of your support for my project. I am grateful for all of your help and for believing in my project. I have always respected your level of integrity and your work ethic. Dr. Georgia Ne Smith, thank you for all of your support and hands-on mentorship during this process. I am so grateful for all of your suggestions and your commitment to reading the many drafts that I sent you. You have restored a great deal of my much-needed confidence. I am sincerely appreciative for all of the care that you put into my work. Dr. Mary E. Thomas I do not think that “thank you” is enough to convey my gratitude to you for helping me complete my PhD. First of all, I liked you from the first time I took a class with you. I could always trust that you would give me good advice and that you would keep my confidence. You have been a tireless advocate for me, and the only thing that you wanted in return was for me to reach my full potential. I so appreciate the time that you took reading all of the drafts that I have sent you and for sticking with me and continuing to offer me feedback and encouragement. It would have been easy for you to give up on me, but you never did--thank you for always being so positive and caring. You have such great integrity, and you let it guide how you treat people and how you approach your research. Also, I have such an academic crush on you! I love to hear about your ideas and I simply love the way your mind works.