Remixing Resilience: A Case Study of Academically Successful Black Males in an Urban Midwestern City

One of the most dynamically discussed topics in urban education today is the academic performance and success of African American males. While the accessibility to a high-quality education impacts a sizeable portion of students, the literature reinforces the fact that Black males remain one of the most socially and academically marginalized student groups in U.S. schools. The necessity to advance the success of young Black men entering the realm of higher education is crucial. This research study was conducted as case study of seven academically successful African American males in an urban midwestern city. A qualitative research framework was employed to answer an overarching question: How can the voices of college educated Black males inform efforts to promote success among Black males educated in urban environments? and five guiding research questions: (1) How did Black males leverage the various resources within their social networks to develop an achievement persona and persist academically? (2) How did Black males negotiate social networks within Black communities? (3) How did Black males benefit from social networks within Black communities? And (4) How did out of class learning experiences contribute to the academic success of Black males in college? The results of the present study expand the definition of resilience. The voices of the Black males allow researchers to continue to reframe and rewrite the narrative regarding Black male success. The findings suggest that we remix resilience by viewing it as an asset-based process that speaks to the success of Black males. Four major themes emerged as a result of this study: contested prolificacy, community proactivity, familial perseverance and academic persistence. These themes join to create the Ecology of Hope Model, which offers an avenue to consider the relationship between African American males and their physical environment (society)