Racial Microaggressions: The Narratives of African American Faculty at a Predominantly White University

Abstract:What role does race play in the lives of fourteen African American (7 women, 7 men) faculty on a predominantly White campus? This case study focuses on their narratives which revealed that racial microaggressions were a common and negative facet of their lives on campus. Specifically, their narratives suggest interactions of microinvalidations with White colleagues and microinsults with White students. This faculty responded to racial microaggressions by creating campus change and safe space for students of color. Given the potential negative outcomes of racial microaggression, these findings suggest that work is needed to improve the campus climate for African American faculty.