Exploring Consciousness in Millennial African American Men: Using Video Ethnography to Convey Meaning within the African American Male Experience

The purpose of this research dissertation was to investigate and explore consciousness in millennial African American men. This study defined consciousness in the form of self-concept or self-conceptualization, the image we have of ourselves (Akbar, 1991; McLeod 2008). The research question under investigation is, How do African American college men define identity, masculinity, and self-concept under the umbrella of consciousness? This study also examines the relation to environmental factors which include type of schooling, household dynamics, high school mentorship, and college readiness. Investigative approaches also include asking questions regarding socio-economic status, academic achievement, and success. This research also included the sub question of, ?How do African American men explain factors of identity as it relates to race, identity, masculinity, aggression, and overall existence?? The researcher utilized a qualitative approach. Participants for this study included African American men between the ages of 18-25 years old. The researcher conducted a convenience sampling of students at an Historically Black College or University (HBCU). The researcher initiated collection in phases. Phase I administration was a general survey given to 30 African American men who attended the selected university. This survey was constructed with the use of Google Forms and contained general background information questions: household income, type of schooling, and parental status. Phase II consisted of five individual interviews with students who iv reported less likely to have a strong identity score based on the Nigrescence model (Cross, 1991). Phase III was the conduction of the video ethnography which included video footage of participants answering in-depth questions surrounding identity and self-consciousness. Thematic analysis and findings included: the significance of single mothers, high-school mentorship pertaining to leadership programs, and the choice of HBCU selection leading to positive future impact. These findings highlighted the importance of self-consciousness and discovery essential to the psyche of African American, millennial age men and the foreshadowing of the mindset of future generations. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu). [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]