This narrative research study illuminates the experiences of Black elementary school teachers as they navigate through whiteness on their identity journey. The purpose of this study was to examine the counter-narratives of identity by Black female elementary school teachers within the discourse of Whiteness that remains dominant in the U.S. culture and public school system. This study included semi-structured interviews with six participating teachers from several school districts in a large Midwestern metropolitan city. critical race theory, Black feminist theory, intersectionality, and transcendental theories comprised the theoretical underpinnings of the study. Narrative research design was employed for data analysis resulting in the identification of the following themes; (a) Identifying Blackness: Self, Community, and Safe Spaces; (b) Uprooted or Connected? Generational Trauma, Spirituality, and Black Power; (c) “A Calling I Could not Ignore:” Empowering and Connecting with Black Students;” and (d) At the Intersection of Race and Gender: Dilemmas and Empowerment. This study contributes to the current research by providing an insight into how Black teachers develop their identity, respond to the calling to teach, cope with trauma, and provide advocacy and activism. This study also provides a road map for how the participants navigated whiteness with supportive communities, spiritual connections, and affirming friendships. Among the recommendations was support for Black teachers, Black students, and Black schools and providing identity-driven support for prospective Black teachers.
","abstract_html":"<p>This narrative research study illuminates the experiences of Black elementary school teachers as they navigate through whiteness on their identity journey. The purpose of this study was to examine the counter-narratives of identity by Black female elementary school teachers within the discourse of Whiteness that remains dominant in the U.S. culture and public school system. This study included semi-structured interviews with six participating teachers from several school districts in a large Midwestern metropolitan city. critical race theory, Black feminist theory, intersectionality, and transcendental theories comprised the theoretical underpinnings of the study. Narrative research design was employed for data analysis resulting in the identification of the following themes; (a) Identifying Blackness: Self, Community, and Safe Spaces; (b) Uprooted or Connected? Generational Trauma, Spirituality, and Black Power; (c) “A Calling I Could not Ignore:” Empowering and Connecting with Black Students;” and (d) At the Intersection of Race and Gender: Dilemmas and Empowerment. This study contributes to the current research by providing an insight into how Black teachers develop their identity, respond to the calling to teach, cope with trauma, and provide advocacy and activism. This study also provides a road map for how the participants navigated whiteness with supportive communities, spiritual connections, and affirming friendships. Among the recommendations was support for Black teachers, Black students, and Black schools and providing identity-driven support for prospective Black teachers.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Tilmon, Thera"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Ed.D. Doctor of Education","degree_level":"Dissertation - Public Access","degree_discipline":"Curriculum, Advocacy, and Policy","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Dr. Antonina Lukenchuk","Dr. Kamua Rashid","Dr. Gloria McDaniel-Hall"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2022,"date_issued":"2022-06-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2022-06-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:21:05Z","subjects":["Elementary teachers","Black teachers","Counter narrative","Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/673","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Dr. Antonina Lukenchuk","Dr. Kamua Rashid","Dr. Gloria McDaniel-Hall"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Tilmon, Thera"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2022-06-25T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Curriculum, Advocacy, and Policy"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation - Public Access"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Ed.D. Doctor of Education"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Elementary teachers","Black teachers","Counter narrative","Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/673"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This narrative research study illuminates the experiences of Black elementary school teachers as they navigate through whiteness on their identity journey. The purpose of this study was to examine the counter-narratives of identity by Black female elementary school teachers within the discourse of Whiteness that remains dominant in the U.S. culture and public school system. This study included semi-structured interviews with six participating teachers from several school districts in a large Midwestern metropolitan city. critical race theory, Black feminist theory, intersectionality, and transcendental theories comprised the theoretical underpinnings of the study. Narrative research design was employed for data analysis resulting in the identification of the following themes; (a) Identifying Blackness: Self, Community, and Safe Spaces; (b) Uprooted or Connected? Generational Trauma, Spirituality, and Black Power; (c) “A Calling I Could not Ignore:” Empowering and Connecting with Black Students;” and (d) At the Intersection of Race and Gender: Dilemmas and Empowerment. This study contributes to the current research by providing an insight into how Black teachers develop their identity, respond to the calling to teach, cope with trauma, and provide advocacy and activism. This study also provides a road map for how the participants navigated whiteness with supportive communities, spiritual connections, and affirming friendships. Among the recommendations was support for Black teachers, Black students, and Black schools and providing identity-driven support for prospective Black teachers.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Narratives of Black Female Elementary School Teachers: Navigating the Normative Discourse of Whiteness"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Dr. Antonina Lukenchuk","Dr. Kamua Rashid","Dr. Gloria McDaniel-Hall"],"dc:creator":["Tilmon, Thera"],"dc:date.available":["2022-06-25T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This narrative research study illuminates the experiences of Black elementary school teachers as they navigate through whiteness on their identity journey. The purpose of this study was to examine the counter-narratives of identity by Black female elementary school teachers within the discourse of Whiteness that remains dominant in the U.S. culture and public school system. This study included semi-structured interviews with six participating teachers from several school districts in a large Midwestern metropolitan city. critical race theory, Black feminist theory, intersectionality, and transcendental theories comprised the theoretical underpinnings of the study. Narrative research design was employed for data analysis resulting in the identification of the following themes; (a) Identifying Blackness: Self, Community, and Safe Spaces; (b) Uprooted or Connected? Generational Trauma, Spirituality, and Black Power; (c) “A Calling I Could not Ignore:” Empowering and Connecting with Black Students;” and (d) At the Intersection of Race and Gender: Dilemmas and Empowerment. This study contributes to the current research by providing an insight into how Black teachers develop their identity, respond to the calling to teach, cope with trauma, and provide advocacy and activism. This study also provides a road map for how the participants navigated whiteness with supportive communities, spiritual connections, and affirming friendships. Among the recommendations was support for Black teachers, Black students, and Black schools and providing identity-driven support for prospective Black teachers.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/673"],"dc:subject":["Elementary teachers","Black teachers","Counter narrative","Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education"],"dc:title":["Narratives of Black Female Elementary School Teachers: Navigating the Normative Discourse of Whiteness"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Curriculum, Advocacy, and Policy"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation - Public Access"],"thesis:degree_name":["Ed.D. Doctor of Education"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:21:05Z"}