Representations of Black leaders in the provost position are few, which speaks to historic views on Black intellectualism, barriers to administrative service, and a lack of professional networks and mentors. In this essay, Russell S. Thacker and Sydney Freeman Jr. examine the lived experiences of thirteen current and former Black provosts at predominantly White institutions and outline strategies to help other aspiring leaders of color prepare for senior administrative positions in higher education. They highlight the unique barriers faced in the preparation and service of Black provosts and also reveal positive evidence that institutions are increasingly open to the diverse backgrounds and contributions brought by leaders of color.
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Russell S. Thacker (
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5450-9182) is the director of Legacy Academy of Idaho and an adjunct professor in the College of Education at the University of Idaho. His research interests include leadership development for K–20 leaders, innovation in education, and organizational studies. Previously he conducted leadership development and international education programs for the US Department of Defense. Thacker is a regular contributor to
HigherEdJobs.com.
Sydney Freeman Jr. is a professor in the Adult, Organizational Learning and Leadership program in the College of Education, Health & Human Sciences at the University of Idaho. His research interests include higher education leadership and faculty development, faculty careers, and higher education as a field of study. Freeman’s work has appeared in the
Review of Higher Education,
Journal of Underrepresented & Minority Progress,
Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, and
Higher Education, and he has published nearly 100 scholarly and academic related manuscripts. He has lectured and presented in a variety of institutional settings, such as Harvard University, Oxford University, Jerusalem College of Technology, and RMIT University Vietnam, Saigon. He was the 2020 recipient of Auburn University’s College of Education Outstanding Young Alumni award and was honored as one of the “Accomplished Under 40” in 2020 by the
Idaho Business Review.