African American Male Administrators’ Perceptions of Leadership Expectations at the Secondary Level

Author

• Dimitri D. Williams, Arkansas Tech UniversityFollow

Date of Award

Spring 5-8-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education in School Leadership

Department

Center for Leadership & Learning

College

College of Education

Committee Chair

Dr. Tennille Lasker-Scott

Second Committee Member

Dr. John Freeman

Third Committee Member

Dr. Kenneth Taylor

Program Director

Dr. John Freeman

Dean of Graduate College

Dr. Michael Bradley

Abstract

The underrepresentation of African American male administrators at the secondary level in public education, paired with racialized leadership expectations, demands a deeper examination of their lived experiences. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the perceptions that came from the lived experiences of African American male administrators at the secondary level, with particular focus on their various leadership journeys, perceived expectations, and identity construction within predominantly Caucasian spaces. This study is rooted in Critical Race Theory and the conceptual frameworks of double consciousness, code-switching, tokenism, and impostor syndrome. This study investigated how race influences leadership expectations, professional advancement, and daily administrative practice. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 15 African American male secondary-level administrators selected through purposeful sampling. The interviews done by participants were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis to identify shared patterns across participants’ lived experiences. Four major themes emerged from this research: (1) Heightened Performance and Accountability Expectations; (2) Leadership Expectations Beyond Instructional Leadership; (3) Advanced Degrees as Protection and Legitimacy; and (4) African American Mentors as Validation. The findings form this phenomenological study revealed that participants often went into educational leadership through non-linear pathways shaped by African American mentorship and opportunity rather than traditional leadership pipelines. Through their lived experiences leadership expectations were perceived as intensified and racialized, often characterized by heightened scrutiny, pressure to overperform, and constrained perceptions of authority. Additionally, participants in this study described relying on resilience, mentorship from other African Americans, faith, and professional networks to construct and sustain their leadership identities. This study adds to the broader narrative on equity in educational leadership specifically building-level administration by illuminating how race continues to shape leadership expectations, career trajectories, and identity formation among African American male administrators at the secondary level in public education. The findings from this study emphasize the need for their to be intentional mentorship structures, equitable leadership development pathways, and systemic changes that support the professional sustainability of African American male administrators in secondary education.

Recommended Citation

Williams, Dimitri D., "African American Male Administrators’ Perceptions of Leadership Expectations at the Secondary Level" (2026). ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present. 95.
https://orc.library.atu.edu/etds_2021/95