A Black Feminist Study of Freedom, Community Care, and Self-Definition Among Black College Women Attending Predominantly White Institutions

Many Black women consider learning and educational access an essential part of their personal growth, professional aspirations, and in some cases, their freedom. Examining freedom by centering on Black college women’s perspectives may encourage scholars to reimagine what is possible, useful, and necessary in how we approach the purpose and desired outcomes for students in higher education. In the present study, we used Black feminism in qualitative inquiry (Evans-Winters, 2019) and analyzed semistructured interview data from 26 Black women (18–22 years) enrolled at predominantly White institutions in the United States. We identified two broad themes during the coding process: (a) fostering freedom in community with others and (b) finding freedom within themselves. Our findings highlight how Black college women prioritize freeing self-definitions amidst identity-based expectations and pressures at their institution and in broader society. The authors discuss how institutions of higher education can support Black women’s freedom, as well as the implications of the women’s narratives for frameworks of identity development.