“There’s nothing wrong with doing something good” : a phenomenological study of early elementary black males’ understanding of heroes, role models and citizenship

The educational and social condition of many students, in particular that of African American males, continues to be a concern and draws the attention of scholars, teachers, administrators, and parents attempting to understand current challenges and opportunities. Various approaches strive to improve present-day circumstances. In efforts to seemly redress problematic conditions, the concept of role modeling is acknowledged as one of the foremost solutions to addressing the needs of young Black males. As an introduction to role models, the participants’ perceptions of heroes were taken into account. Additionally, as a way to extend the discourse on role models, the notion of citizenship was examined. Interestingly, although young Black males remain a focus of role model and mentoring approaches, their voices and perspectives are rarely included, as they are talked to and talked about, but rarely asked to contribute to this dialogue. Combining a critical childhood studies approach and a phenomenological lens to explore the lived experiences of young Black boys towards prioritizing their understanding of heroes, role models and citizenship, this study sought to gain insight from those most impacted by educational and social policy – young children. The implications of this research study emerge for the areas of early elementary education, social studies, citizenship, and meaning-making in the new digital age.