Brenda L. Walker is a Professor in the Exceptional Student Education Program at the University of South Florida, USA, and an attorney. Dr. Walker has been an educator and researcher in the academy for the past 32 years. She is currently Director of the University of South Florida’s Call Me MiSTER initiative to recruit men, and more recently women, to teach in urban and high-poverty elementary and middle schools. She is the Principal Investigator on Project RISES, an out-of-school suspension research study. She has published numerous journal articles, book chapters, and a co-authored textbook. Dr. Walker has mentored a host of doctoral students and faculty nationally on graduate program completion and tenure and promotion, respectively.

• Chapter 1. ‘Fore Day in the Mornin’ and Black Women in Academe: Embracing opportunities and confronting microaggressions; Brenda L. WalkerChapter 2. Perseverance is in our DNA; Cathy D. Kea Chapter 3. Embracing Discontent and Resistance: Striving for agency and promise; Gwendolyn Cartledge Chapter 4. Making our Ancestors Proud: African American Women achieving success in the academy; Lillian B. Poats Chapter 5. If I Can Help Somebody As I Pass Along; Patricia J. Larke Chapter 6. If They Don’t Give You a Seat at the Table, Bring a Folding Chair: My HBCU Faculty Experiences; Veronica G. Thomas Chapter 7. Enter to Learn, Depart to Serve: Accessing power, while walking in circles; Gwendolyn C. Webb Chapter 8. From First Generation to Higher Education: I can show you better than I can tell you; Clara Y. Young

Brenda L. Walker is a Professor in the Exceptional Student Education Program at the University of South Florida, USA, and an attorney. Dr. Walker has been an educator and researcher in the academy for the past 32 years. She is currently Director of the University of South Florida’s Call Me MiSTER initiative to recruit men, and more recently women, to teach in urban and high-poverty elementary and middle schools. She is the Principal Investigator on Project RISES, an out-of-school suspension research study. She has published numerous journal articles, book chapters, and a co-authored textbook. Dr. Walker has mentored a host of doctoral students and faculty nationally on graduate program completion and tenure and promotion, respectively.

• Chapter 1. ‘Fore Day in the Mornin’ and Black Women in Academe: Embracing opportunities and confronting microaggressions; Brenda L. WalkerChapter 2. Perseverance is in our DNA; Cathy D. Kea Chapter 3. Embracing Discontent and Resistance: Striving for agency and promise; Gwendolyn Cartledge Chapter 4. Making our Ancestors Proud: African American Women achieving success in the academy; Lillian B. Poats Chapter 5. If I Can Help Somebody As I Pass Along; Patricia J. Larke Chapter 6. If They Don’t Give You a Seat at the Table, Bring a Folding Chair: My HBCU Faculty Experiences; Veronica G. Thomas Chapter 7. Enter to Learn, Depart to Serve: Accessing power, while walking in circles; Gwendolyn C. Webb Chapter 8. From First Generation to Higher Education: I can show you better than I can tell you; Clara Y. Young

Brenda L. Walker is a Professor in the Exceptional Student Education Program at the University of South Florida, USA, and an attorney. Dr. Walker has been an educator and researcher in the academy for the past 32 years. She is currently Director of the University of South Florida’s Call Me MiSTER initiative to recruit men, and more recently women, to teach in urban and high-poverty elementary and middle schools. She is the Principal Investigator on Project RISES, an out-of-school suspension research study. She has published numerous journal articles, book chapters, and a co-authored textbook. Dr. Walker has mentored a host of doctoral students and faculty nationally on graduate program completion and tenure and promotion, respectively.

• Chapter 1. ‘Fore Day in the Mornin’ and Black Women in Academe: Embracing opportunities and confronting microaggressions; Brenda L. WalkerChapter 2. Perseverance is in our DNA; Cathy D. Kea Chapter 3. Embracing Discontent and Resistance: Striving for agency and promise; Gwendolyn Cartledge Chapter 4. Making our Ancestors Proud: African American Women achieving success in the academy; Lillian B. Poats Chapter 5. If I Can Help Somebody As I Pass Along; Patricia J. Larke Chapter 6. If They Don’t Give You a Seat at the Table, Bring a Folding Chair: My HBCU Faculty Experiences; Veronica G. Thomas Chapter 7. Enter to Learn, Depart to Serve: Accessing power, while walking in circles; Gwendolyn C. Webb Chapter 8. From First Generation to Higher Education: I can show you better than I can tell you; Clara Y. Young