African American women leadership in the context of its social and cultural background: A multiple case study

Leadership by African American women has been a norm centered in a long and strong tradition that was formed in ancient Africa. This leadership was supported by a distinctly Afrocentric cultural epistemology that used an empowerment model that goes back to ancient African roots. In the history of African people in America, cultural tenacity and a determination for liberation from slavery maintained the core of African traditions that served as a foundation for contemporary leadership by African American women. This leadership style was nurtured and shaped primarily through the organizing body of one of the 7 traditional Protestant African American churches. These churches were often the only formal means of community and social organizing available to the African person during slave times and throughout the early years of African American history. The primary focus of this research was to determine the role and influence of the traditional Protestant African American church and other social and cultural factors on the leadership development and activities of the African American woman leader. The research was an exploratory, inductive, multiple case study with 6 African American women leaders in diverse leadership capacities. A comprehensive theory of empowerment as presented by Collins (1990, 2000) and supported by Rappaport (1994) served as the theoretical framework for the study, and a concept of womanism (Walker, 1983) provided the conceptual framework. The qualitative method of analysis used data generated by interviews, observations and document review. The research showed that the traditional African American church provided the background and groundwork for the development of a leadership style in African American leaders that was distinctly empowering. It was also found that this leadership style emerged over time through definable stages. The first stage was formed through early exposure to and experiences in social and cultural contexts that formed a womanist worldview. Next there was a maturing stage that showed evidence of an emerging consciousness within the African American woman towards empowerment as an effective leadership style. This resulted in actual leadership behaviors that were identified as supporting distinct factors from the comprehensive theory of empowerment.