Retaining African American Teachers in Urban Settings: A Literature Review of Successful Strategies Utilized by Principals

School administrators contribute to the macro and micro environmental factors that challenge the sustainability of African American teachers. Retaining African American teachers is a particular challenge for schools that serve high proportions of students of color living in households with low-income. Although some research focuses on the attrition of teachers of color that include, but are not limited to, poor work environments, these conditions are most common in schools that enroll socio-economically disenfranchised students. However, literary reviews point to strategies that can work in such settings and more. Thus, this literature review examines effective strategies used by principals to sustain African American teachers in diverse schools. Critical Learning Theory framed the categories for this research. Critical Learning Theory explains the process for education and racial dignity. The longevity of African American teachers is dependent on the layers of support provided by principals. From the eleven different categories examined, the researchers reflected and shared the research as a path towards sustainability for African American teachers. Overall, three categories gleaned from this literature review within the 10-year span, 2011-2020 were Black Teacher Retention, Mentorship, and Grow-Your-Own. Missing practices surrounding social justice such as incorporating ethnicity, culture, societal norms, and equity require further investigation as tools for principals to retain teachers of color.