The Campus Conundrum: Comparing African-Americans at Historically Black Colleges/Universities and Predominantly White Institutions

We Wear the Mask: The Lived Experiences of Black Undergraduate Music Education Students in Predominantly White Schools of Music

“…Feelings of isolation and loneliness are further intensified by the scarcity of Black peers and faculty members (Anderson, 2018;Robinson & Hendricks, 2018). Black students in PWSOM often express a desire for social interaction with peers and faculty who possess the same characteristics and are of the same backgrounds (Anderson, 2018;McCall, 2015). However, they are underrepresented among both the student and faculty populations.…”

“…Delorenzo and Silverman (2016) found that the underrepresentation of minority music faculty caused students to question their belonging in the music teaching profession. McCall (2015) and Anderson (2018) provided the only two known phenomenological examinations of Black student experiences in PWSOM. McCall examined the degree perseverance of eight African American males who had attended an HBCU for undergraduate music studies before transitioning to a PWSOM for graduate studies.…”

“…Participants suggested that this feeling motivated them to succeed and pave the way for future Black students. Both McCall (2015) and Anderson found that participants reported professors' unequal distribution of time, attention, and information.…”