Uncovering Black Womanhood in Engineering

Despite the growing research that outlines the experiences of Blacks and women undergraduates in engineering, little is known about Black women in this field. The purpose of this qualitative study was to uncover how eight Black undergraduate women in engineering understood their race and gender identities in a culture that can be oppressive to both women and students from underrepresented backgrounds. Findings suggest that the participants negotiated their identities among externally imposed definitions and negative stereotypes of what it means to be both a woman and Black in engineering. Struggling to make meaning of Black womanhood, the women were resigned to proving themselves as competent engineers to their peers and faculty and driven to serve as role models within their communities.