Rediscovering the essential nature of African-American male leadership: An Afrocentric perspective.

Sorry, the full text of this article is not available in Huskie Commons. Please click on the alternative location to access it. ; 280 p. ; This case study examines histories of African Americans who were excluded from research on leadership development and theory. It discusses the impact and contributions of leaders in the fields of education, business, religion, government, and the media. The study provides a critical analysis of the sociological, psychological, economical, and political foundations of leadership. It employs an Afrocentric theoretical paradigm and gives voice to those who have been traditionally denied.The objectives were to summarize life histories and leadership experiences among selected African-American men who hold positions in institutions that have been traditionally held by Whites; to describe common themes elicited from these men; to ascertain how they have obtained, sustained, and maintained leadership positions; to examine unique attributes from each participant derived from his positions, workplace context, and experiences; and to propose a new inclusive leadership model.Multiple methodologies guided this research. Primarily used were autobiographies from eight of America's powerful and influential African-American male leaders of this century and life histories from interviews of eight present-day African-American male leaders. Four primary themes emerged: family, church, race, and culture.The research revealed that success could be achieved despite adversities. It further illustrated that personal characteristics and qualities coupled with the characteristics and qualities of one's own culture were vital to success. In addressing the fundamental issues of survival, this research offered critical inquiry into the current and future challenges of Black male leadership and the moral, sociological, psychological, economical, and political responsibilities of its leaders.The study further revealed that great leaders are created by their people; African Americans must not only choose ...