(En)Countering a White Racial Frame at a Predominantly White Institution: The Case of The African American Student Network

Abstract

The White racial frame (WRF) is a set of cultural narratives and symbols based in White supremacy and anti-blackness that shape perceptions, ideologies, and emotions in U.S. society. The WRF also shapes individual experiences. Our research team explored how the WRF shaped experiences of Black college students. Adapting consensual qualitative research methods, we analyzed notes from discussions including 752 students participating in the African American Student Network (AFAM) over a twelve-year period. AFAM students encountered the WRF via inferior treatment and internalized racism including colorism, self-hate, and low expectations by educators and others. Colorism seemed especially relevant for women; encountering stereotypes of criminality seemed more prevalent for men.  Students countered the WRF by finding safe/communal spaces, re-defining Blackness, re-examining Whiteness, and challenging stereotypes and racist epithets. (En)countering the WRF involved significant cognitive and emotional labor, and counterspaces that affirmed students’ racial and cultural identities were essential for engaging in this work.