The United States Supreme Court issued a decision in the case of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka Kansas (1954) that declared segregation based on race was not constitutional. In the context of higher education, this decision opened doors for many Blacks to gain entrance into colleges and universities across the nation. In the halfcentury since Brown, research clearly indicates Blacks enrolled at predominantly White institutions (PWIs) have different and varied experiences when compared to their White counterparts.
This study explored the complicated array of academic, social, cultural and personal factors successful African American students face at a rural PWI. Through qualitative methodology and the framework of Critical Race Theory (CRT) their perception, place and the means by which they adjust to this environment are examined. Moreover, the study focuses on the academic, social, cultural and personal schooling processes of successful urban African American students using a phenomenological case study approach. The sample in this study consists of ten participants, 7 current and 3 former recipients of the Urban Scholars Scholarship Program. From an analysis of data, four major themes emerged in relation to the urban Black experience at a rural PWI: (1) the castaways, (2) capital one rewards, (3) reducing toxic threats and (4) the alien among us. Practical implications for student affairs staff, university leaders, cultural centers and retention offices are included.