Black Collegians’ Experiences in US Northern Private Colleges

"This book is an invaluable and unique contribution to the field. It is one of the few studies in higher education to articulate the history and life cycle of African American college students. Stewart has arguably written one of the most nuanced accounts on the subject to date." (Christopher M. Span, Associate Dean for Academic Programs, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA) "Stewart fastens together historical narratives with skillful representations of educational theory, providing opportunities for voices of black collegians to shine, roar, sit silently, reflect, and inform throughout the book. This book is a compelling narrative of beautiful stories, often untold." (Marybeth Gasman, Professor of Higher Education, University of Pennsylvania, USA) "While much of the historiography of the topic of racial integration focuses on colleges and universities in the South, this engaging and insightful analysis of the narratives of northern black students will greatly enhance our understanding of a pivotal period in US higher education." (Christopher Broadhurst, Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership, University of New Orleans, USA)

This book is a narrative study of the lives and experiences of sixty-eight Black collegians in a set of northern private colleges in the Midwest between 1945 and 1965.

This book is a narrative study of the lives and experiences of sixty-eight Black collegians in a set of northern private colleges in the Midwest between 1945 and 1965. Through oral histories and archival material, this text documents and reflects on their experiences in the racially isolated, northern, rural towns in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Western Pennsylvania. This history illuminates both the empowerment of these collegians and the persistent challenges of enacting institutional values in the face of resistance from both outside and within. Stewart seeks to understand the nature of progress toward pluralistic diversity in college environments characterized by the paradox of racial homogeneity and interracial engagement. In this way, the complex interplay of social movements, institutional context, individual identities, and the experiences of marginalized students in postsecondary education are more effectively demonstrated.