“I had the mindset to carry on!”: Positive Black Racial Identity (PBRI) Socialization and Post-Secondary Success Among Black Males

This qualitative case study discusses the relationship between positive Black racial identity (PBRI) and the pursuit of post-secondary education of male Black students in Ontario, Canada. Using a phenomenological approach, the qualitative interviews revealed the factors participants believed facilitated their sense of positive Black racial identity contributed to their commitment to pursuing post-secondary education, and the challenges they experienced in the process. The analysis revealed that Black male students who reported having a positive Black racial identity were more likely to report experiencing multiple positive benefits including academic persistence, an increased sense of self-worth, self-competency and the ability to withstand barriers and stereotypes. It also reports on the varying forms of interventions that promoted Black student engagement within post-secondary educational spaces and the role of mentorship as an aspect of their academic development.