No Magic Here: Demystifying Black Female Leadership in a California Community College HSIs
Preview:
Historically, the leadership of organizations, including institutions of postsecondary education, has rested within the dominant white, cis-gendered male culture. The first college in the U.S, Harvard University, founded in 1646, existed to educate white male landowners (and their progeny) in a classical curriculum focusing heavily on ethics, politics, and religion. Black Americans slowly gained access to higher education, with Alexander Twilight credited as the first Black man to receive a bachelor’s degree in 1823. American higher education remained the purview of men until the 1830s, when women’s colleges were established. However, it was not until 1862 that Mary Jane Patterson became the first Black woman to earn a bachelor’s degree.
Originally published: October 15, 2024
Author: Kimberly R. Rogers
Position: President
Institution: Contra Costa College
Published by: Diverse Issues in Higher Education