| The purpose of this qualitative research was to gain a deeper understanding of acting White, a phenomenon frequently associated with the Black - White achievement gap. Participants were five high achieving African American teacher education candidates who attended a predominantly White public university. Each graduated from a racially isolated high school in the Mississippi Delta, which this study described from a social foundations perspective. The interview was the ethnographic strategy used to collect data. Over a three month period, the researcher conducted two individual videotaped and audiotaped interviews, then a group interview. Data that were analyzed and contributed to the findings included interview videotapes, audiotapes, transcripts, a journal of procedures with reflective notes, and a participant - volunteered essay. The constant comparative method was used to analyze data. Indicators of rigor included a member check of each participant, recursive examination of theoretical literature, and a confirmability audit conducted by a qualitative research professor.; The first theme that emerged, the Realities of Acting White, indicates that the phenomenon of acting White exists in the Delta's racially isolated schools, presents a burden for high achievers, and impacts males more than females. The realities theme also illustrates that the phenomenon has many permutations and is growing more pervasive throughout the region.; The second theme, Relief Agents from Acting White, indicates that family, the church, peers, teachers, and an achievement legacy empower students to resist their peers' criticisms. The most significant findings are that the burden of acting White is a cultural phenomenon that cannot be disentangled from other aspects of students' lives, and student achievement correlates with Cross's theory of Black racial identity development. |
