African American Culture and Heritage in Higher Education Research and Practice

Leading African American scholars examine the often neglected cultural context in research and policy development in African American higher education in this collection of essays. Past research has most often been conducted by individuals unfamiliar with the historical and cultural considerations of specific ethnic groups. Therefore, the outcomes of research and the development of programs have been based on deficit models, that is, what is wrong with African Americans, or what they cannot achieve.

The book examines the questions; what is the relationship between African Americans' culture and experiences, and how should their culture be integrated into research and practice? How do African Americans' intra- and interrelations differ in higher education? How does understanding African American culture as it relates to higher education research enhance policy-making and practice? What role do HBUCs play in African Americans' participation in higher education? What are the policy and practice implications of past and current research? Scholars and practitioners of education, culture, and race relations will find this collection informative and interesting.

KASSIE FREEMAN is Assistant Professor of Higher Education in the Department of Educational Leadership at Peabody College of Vanderbilt University. She was the recipient of the Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship and has twice been the recipient of the Pro Renovanda Cultura Hungariae Foundation Award to be a visiting professor and scholar at the Budapest University of Economic Sciences.