Description

Introduction

             The purpose of this research is to interrogate and investigate the study of the racial homogeneous grouping of African-American males in a geographic region where their minority status exists in a higher educational setting. A central assumption if this problem, African American males are performing at levels that are less than that of their Caucasian counterparts. This becomes ever more evident when the inclusion of labels comes into context, the inclusion of athletics and grouping of athletics with minority groups. While there have been studies that suggest race and ethnicity are both major contributors to the advancement of minorities in education (Stewart, 2017) it is imperative that research continues to truly expose the perceptions of those included in this grouping, African-American students who also identify themselves as members of athletics. By doing so, investigating their perceptions of being associated with athletics, especially on college campuses located in areas where there are low representations of African-Americans, to explore options that foster academic prosperity of this group.

            A historical review of race in education, in this case, higher education, have provided proof that there is indeed an ongoing educational gap among African-American students and other ethnic groups. Efforts have been made to remedy this issue and close the academic and retention gaps as they exist in education between African-Americans and other groups, but given the decreasing numbers that are enrolling in colleges and universities, less than stellar enrollment in graduate schools and doctoral programs, it is imperative that research continues to find ways to improve said enrichment of this identified homogenous group(Gaylord-Harden, Barbarin, Tolan, & Murry, 2018).

 To further the argument and build upon the premise of the purpose of the educational system, which is to educate all students and prepare them for the modern world, the demographics of the United States too is also in a constant state of change (Pollard & Jacobsen, 2011).  Data collected from the 2010 United States census illustrated a paradigm shift in the racial composition of the United States. One of the regions in question, Central Appalachia, a region composed states such as Pennsylvania, West Virginia, portions of Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, as well as the northern portions of Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia, have posted some of the most remarkable shifts in racial composition to date (Pollard & Jacobsen, 2011).  This becomes an educational issue as this region still traditionally remains predominantly populated by Caucasians, and therefore this region lacks what many experts regard as holistic racial diversity which is essential in the educational and socialization process of American students (Howard, 2007).  Hence the dilemma which exists in Central Appalachia, a growing population of African American student learners, being educated in a region which lacks racial diversity which is essential to the educational process, all are key pieces of addressing the academic achievement gaps as they exist between black and white student learners, primarily measured within the context of standardized test, high school graduation rates, as well as first-year college retention rates (McCallum, 2016).