Kendall Yelverton

ENG 102

Mr. Kays

February 12, 2017

Annotated Bibliography: The Challenges of Black Women in Corporate America

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>.

This article is about how 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 special qualities for all male races. Everybody wants to see those qualities in men

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

and invaluable. I think this article did a good job of using statistics to argue its case. These

statistics are showing how passionate, qualified African American women are likely capable to

secure these positions, but are less likely to get them. 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 article does a great

job with stating facts and important information, because it connects to the theme of this

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

Dissertaions and Doctoral Studies 1 May 2015: 117.

There is still that glass ceiling that is just itching to break and with this journal it tackles

and unlocks the hidden issues in the African women community. This work was written by a

doctoral Student from Walden University. It is all about African American women have

experienced a lack of diversity and equal opportunities in the workplace. This keeps them from

advancing to higher positons and leadership roles. She discusses the experience of unequal pay

and treatment in the corporate workforce. Because this is a dissertation, I think it is quite long,

but there is quality information in it, which makes it more important and one can obtain

important information. It was mentioned that black women and other minorities lack the same

attention, that is given to other people and they lack resources. That in addition, the lack of

mentorship leaves African American women at a disadvantage in corporate America over women

of other races. This is very relatable to my theme because it points out greater challenges and

issues that black women in corporate America have faced and are still enduring day to day.
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.

This section of the article is about the glass ceiling that is holding African American

women from obtaining more useful jobs. They are at a double disadvantage because they are a

double minority, because they are African American and they are women. As a result, they also

experience dual bias and dual discrimination. The article says that they do not experience gender

discrimination separate from racial discrimination, unlike white women. White women will only

experience gender discrimination and not racial discrimination. African American women will

have to deal with both simultaneously. The impact of stereotypes is a big issue that holds African

American women from progressing because they are considered too aggressive, too emotional

and too assertive. This article touches on multiple issues that African American women face in

corporate America, therefore, it is my favorite article that relates to the theme. This theme is

important to me because we need to go deeper into dissecting the circumstances of black women

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

The book Good Is Not Enough is about unwritten rules for minority professionals in the

workplace. Chapter three discusses the importance of making yourself visible in the workplace

and how minorities do not make enough effort to make themselves noticed. African American

women cannot progress in the business world, if they are concerned with being labeled as a try

hard. Sometimes they do not have a desire to be seen, because they are content with just doing

the work and doing the bare minimum. But this is significantly preventing them from

progressing because they choose to limit themselves. This chapter from the book gives a

different perspective from the rest of my sources. It is looking at the black women instead of the

other races around them. I think this would allow black women to discover the change within

themselves instead of depending on others to automatically transform for them. Black women

also need to change their outlook and be persistent to let their voices be heard instead of being

defeated by the typical stereotype.

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/>.

This article is written from the experience of a black college graduate that entered the

workforce. She often felt as though she was inadequate than the white women that she worked

with because of the negative words that relate to black women. The attire for her office

environment was very casual and she felt like that she wasnt as lady like as the white women.

The reason why was because they were able to still look very classy even with casual outfits. She

put an endless amount of effort into her appearance every day, because she didnt want her hair

to be too excessive or her curves to be too distracting. She was aware of how African American

women are perceived and it consumed her mind continually. As a result, she believed that she

had to be diligent to distract individuals from her appearance. Regardless, she was still belittled

because of her skin color and she seemed to receive hardly little recognition. I think this article

gives a good visual example of the struggles of professional black women. It is very relatable to

the theme and it happens to working women very often.