It has been well chronicled that Black professors have experienced a long history of inequities and inequalities within the academic space. This volume explores the experiences, challenges and triumphs experienced by Black professors. Including personal essays written by Black professors, this volume showcases personal insights and inspirational stories from leading Black scholars across the US. It highlights and problematizes the uncomfortable truth of the lack of diversity in many higher education institutions in order to further discussions on the topic of race in academia, and to assist academics of color in preparing for their careers. Future academics will gain a sense of how to launch their careers, stay productive in research, teaching and service, and avoid the racial-related malaise that can hinder new academics of color. By presenting discussions on professional development, and emphasizing the challenges and triumphs experienced by Black professors across disciplines, this book provides advice for junior Black scholars on how to navigate academe and tackle the challenges that Black scholars often face.

This book focuses on the lived experiences of underserved student and faculty populations at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and the implications these experiences have for higher education policy. Contributors discuss the contexts and experiences of students and faculty who navigate the political and social spaces of HBCUs while supporting healthy personal and robust professional goals. The stigmas and social nuances that plague students and faculty of color do not dissolve with their arrival at an HBCU, but rather they transform into a new set of challenges that demand the attention of researchers. Taking into account institutional supports, identity development, and socialization patterns, this book sheds light on what the experiences of higher education's "outsiders" mean for future research and practice, while emphasizing issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion.