African American students face racial microaggressions in education, particularly on predominantly White campuses (Smith, Yosso, & Solórzano, 2007). Racial microaggressions are “brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative racial slights and insults to the target person or group (Sue et al., 2007, p. 273).” Limited literature on African American students’ experiences of racial microaggressions address students’ responses to these experiences and ensuing perceived impacts. Furthermore, to date there are limited studies examining students’ resilience in relation to their experiences with racial microaggressions at a predominantly white institution (PWI). Using a phenomenological design and resilience theory as a framework, this study investigates the phenomena of racial microaggressions, perceived impacts, and subsequent resilience in African American college students attending a PWI. Four focus group interviews were conducted with African American male and female sophomores, juniors, and seniors attending a large Midwestern PWI. Findings indicated that students experienced environmental and non-environmental racial microaggressions in various contexts at the university. Students responded in a number of ways and reported academic and personal perceived impacts. Several protective factors and adaptations were identified that contributed to their resilience. Implications for future theory, research, and practice related to the research findings are discussed.
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