Getting and Staying in the Mainstream: African American Women's Contributions to the Human Sciences

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to provide an analytical perspective of the challenges, struggles, obstacles, and successes faced by African American women in the Human Sciences as described in the book, African American Women: Contributions to the Human Sciences. A content analysis of this book was conducted by the authors to provide a theoretical perspective on the contributions and challenges that African American women professionals have faced while pursuing their careers in the Human Sciences. The theoretical framework for the study was resiliency theory from an ecological approach.There is a gap in the history of the growth and development of the profession of Human Sciences. The gap is related to the contributions of African American professionals and other people of color. Many of the challenges, struggles, and obstacles encountered by African Americans and other people of color are invisible. These are especially true in regard to instruction, research, and outreach/service. African American professionals and other people of color have made overwhelming contributions to the quality of life and well-being of individuals, and families within the context of their communities.This study draws on the resiliency theory from an ecological approach. The resilience-enhancing approach is connected with the ecological, or person-inenvironment, perspective of the profession (Bronfenbrenner, 1979). Resiliency theory draws from a strength perspective-a philosophical standpoint that recognizes the inherent power and tenacity of individuals and families within the context of their communities (Chapin, Nelson-Becker, & Macmillan, 2006;Saleebey, 1997). This integrative framework is employed to understand the obstacles faced by African American women professionals in Human Sciences. The obstacles were based on societal attitudes and values that prohibited access to resources in culturally relevant ways. This paper will present an analytical perspective of the challenges, struggles, obstacles, and successes faced by African American women as described in