Racism at Work and Racial Identity of Black Graduates of Elite Universities: A Psychology of Working Perspective

Education is often thought of as the great equalizer that is capable of offsetting societal inequities. Elite universities are characterized by the most selective admissions criteria, and attendance at these universities often provides access to the social capital necessary to pursue prestigious and rewarding careers. Black students attending elite universities report experiencing racism while on campus. Moreover, racism negatively impacts Black students’ well-being. Despite the importance of these issues, scholars have devoted limited attention to the postgraduate work experiences of Black graduates of elite universities. The purpose of this study was to understand the ways in which experiences of racism at work impact the well-being and work-fulfillment of Black graduates at elite universities and to examine potential factors that may protect against racism. We invited Black graduates of elite universities ( N = 1,010) to complete measures that assessed racial micro aggressions, racial identity, well-being, and work-fulfillment outcomes. Results revealed that particular experiences of racism at work (microinvalidations) negatively impact well-being and that Internalization racial identity attitudes are positively related to well-being and work-fulfillment. The implications of the findings for theory development, future research, counseling practice, and public/organizational policy are discussed.