Navigating White Spaces: Examining the Lived Experiences of Black Undergraduate Women Involved in Historically White Student Organizations

Abstract

This article reports the findings of a phenomenological study that examined the experiences of 10 Black undergraduate women involved in historically White student organizations. Grounded in a Black feminist thought perspective, this study provides context to understand the oppressive nature of Black women’s involvement in historically White student organizations and highlights Black women’s encounters with gendered racism in historically white student organizations. Participants’ narratives reveal the ways in which Black women perceived the climate of historically White student organizations and the nature of their interactions with White peers.