Background/Purpose Life history methodology has been used effectively to study the lives of teachers, however it has been used less often to study college faculty, and specifically faculty of color. The purpose of this study was to use the life history design along with the theories of self-efficacy and stereotype threat, to construct the life history of one African American educator and to find in what ways, if any, was he marginalized. This educator experienced a time of great change during the civil rights movement.
Method The participant was one African American teacher educator from the “deep South.” Data were collected through a series of semi-structured interviews.
Analysis/Results Data were coded, categorized and key themes identified through qualitative methods including analytic induction and constant comparison. Key findings were that the participant faced race-based marginalization prior to retirement and had to deal with stereotype threat during the last 30 years of his working life. His strong sense of self-efficacy enabled him to persevere in the face of marginalization.
Conclusions The participant was able to persevere in the face of marginalization and stereotype threat partly due to his strong sense of self-efficacy, which was strengthened through the strong African American role models he observed. Successful sporting, educational, and pedagogical experiences additionally played a role. His life history provides a chronicle of one man's experiences during the civil rights movement and provides an example for others to follow. This study enhances previous research by showing that race/ethnicity is another dimension of marginalization compared with those previously found.