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Kendall Yelverton

Mr. Trent Kays

ENG 102

May 4, 2017

What is Preventing Black Women from Promoting?

Corporate America is a very diverse place with men and women of all ethnicities.

However, it is clear that this is a Caucasian-dominated field and it is hard for black people,

women in particular, to move up to positions of higher status. Not only do they have to compete

against white men and women, they are up against black men as well. Black women are often

seen as lower because they are the double minority, and because of how they look and what

gender they are, they are less likely to be promoted. Due to the stereotypes and biases towards

black women, they are unable to break that glass ceiling that has been hindering them from

moving up the corporate ladder.

Before African American women look at what other people do and do not do for them,

they should look at what they are doing for themselves that is holding them back. African

American women have to hold their own weight as well and prove themselves to be worthy of

promotion and some just do not understand that. The book Good Is Not Enough contains

unwritten rules for minority professionals in the workplace. One of the rules discusses the

importance of making yourself visible in the workplace. Some African American women do not

work hard enough to make themselves noticeable and stand out because they are concerned with

being labeled as a try hard (Wyche, 45). They are content and comfortable with their current

positions and do the bare minimum. Choosing their limitations is what will prevent black women

from promotion in the workplace.

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This novel by Keith R. Wyche also discusses the importance of understanding the

company culture before choosing to work there. Knowing the rules of the game will lead to black

women having the advantage over others in their company because they understand what to

expect. Choosing to go into the company oblivious to how their potential coworker act towards

other races would not benefit them in anyway. African American women can avoid racial issues

and being held back if they are aware of the culture they are getting themselves into (Wyche, 18).

Black women, in corporate America, have all the necessary qualifications to be in high,

management positions. However, they do not obtain these positons because they feel stalled due

to the negative stereotypes of black women. Some specific stereotypes would be confident,

assertive and outspoken are negative attributes for black women, but they are considered to be

special qualities for all male races (Hewlett). Everybody wants to see those qualities in men but,

the moment black women exhibit those characteristics, she is considered angry, outrageous and

invaluable. These statistics are showing how passionate, qualified African American women are

likely capable to secure these positions, but are less likely to get them (Hewlett). Stereotypes are

just another obstacle for black women in corporate America, because people will assume they

demonstrate themselves in an uncivil way, which prevents them from being hired and or

promoted.

The glass ceiling in the corporate world is something that is seriously hard to shatter for

black women. In a society where everything is white-male dominated, African American women

have to go through the struggle to come up from the bottom. Just as the saying goes black

people have to work twice as hard to get half as much. This is very true because there are a lack

of equal opportunities and diversity in the workplace to help push minorities like black women

upward (Cain). According to the journal article Barriers Encountered by African American
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Women Executives, written by Latasha Denise Cain, African American women and other

minorities lack the resources that are given to other people. They dont receive the same level of

mentorship and that leaves them at a disadvantage in their field over women of other races

(Cain).

African American women are often compared to women of other races, especially the

Caucasian race. They often compare themselves because they are feeding into the stereotypes

that are associated with black women. Ashley Robinson wrote an article about her experience

entering the workforce as a black college graduate. Her article was entitled The Struggles of a

Black Girl in Corporate America. She stated that she often thought that she as inadequate for

the positions and assignments that the white women were given. She felt this way due to the

negative words that related back to black women like pushy, or bossy. She didnt feel as lady like

as the white women because she would be more underdressed than her white, female coworkers,

even though the office attire was casual. The appearance of black women has been a pressing

issue in the workplace as well, so she felt like she had to put more effort into her hair so she

wouldnt be a distraction or too excessive and she did not want her bodily curves to threaten

the white women (Robinson). These issues are very prevalent and very real in this day in age and

they make black women feel lesser than the white women that they are working alongside with

or beneath. Appearance does not equal the amount of intelligence a person has and that should

not downplay their credentials. The appearance of black women is something that they cannot

help. Their natural hair is their natural hair and they shouldnt be forced to look like white

women. Having curves is something that they grow into, therefore, it should not be an issue.

There seems to be no problem when and white women has curves and cornrows, but when a

black woman does it, there is a problem. That is the society that we live in today, unfortunately.
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Discrimination is still an issue in this society as well. African American women

experience dual discrimination due to the fact that they are black and they are women. White

women will never experience this level of discrimination because they only have one thing

against them and that is because they are women. Tara Peters states in her article that they are

only experiencing gender discrimination and not racial discrimination (Peters). Having the

burden of two biases on your shoulders can be a hardship for black women. Corporate America

likes to discriminate in a low-key, discrete way by keeping black women out of important

assignments and positions, even though they are well qualified to do so (Peters). It all ties back

into the stereotypes and appearances of black women. Any possible excuse will be made to keep

an African American woman from being promoted over a white man or woman.

African American women are a threat to every other race because of their level of

intelligence and their work ethic. Caucasian men and women know black women are well fit to

move forward but they have all the power to prevent them from doing so. Nobody wants to see

the black woman succeed in this country because they know that African American women are

firm in their beliefs, and their beliefs do not always align with what White-America believes.

America has been stereotypical and discriminatory for decades and they will continue to do such

thing. No matter how many African American women break the glass ceiling and go against the

stereotypes, there will always be an excuse as to why qualified black women are being held back

in the corporate world. It seems to be that when more black women become successful and break

free from their shackles, there becomes more reason to hold them back. There needs to be people

that see the worth in black women and how valuable they are to Americas business world.
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Work Cited

Cain, Latasha Denisw. "Barries Encountered by African American Women Executives." Walden

Dissertaions and Doctoral Studies 1 May 2015: 117.

Hewlett, Sylvia Ann and Tai Wingfield. Quallified Black Women are Being Held from

Management. 11 June 2015. 1 February 2017. <https://hbr.org/2015/06/qualified-black-

women-are-being-held-back-from-management>.

Peters, Tara. "The Underrepresentation of African American Women in Executive Leadership:

What's Getting in the Wa?" Journal of Business Studies Quarterly 1 January 2016: 118-

122.

Robinson, Ashley. The Struggles of a Black Girl in Corporate America. 4 November 2015. 6

February 2016. <http://myblackmatters.com/the-struggles-of-a-black-girl-in-corporate-

america/>.

Wyche, Keith R. Good Is Not Enough . New York : Penguin Group , 2008