African American Culture

This article summarizes a study about the convergence of influences that led African American parents and educators to decide to support Independent Black Institutions (IBIs) through registering children or accepting employment. Parents and educators (teachers, administrators, and staff) who chose to support IBIs explained the values and preferences that led to their choices. Five themes emphasized a need for acceptance of community values and experiences whose preferences differed from the dominant White culture in the United States. Understanding these preferences could shed light on the experiences of minority or subcultural communities throughout the nation. The insights have implications for social organizations of every size within the diverse population of the 21st-century American culture.