Chapter 6: “We Over Me”: Servant and Transformative Leadership at John Adams

The HBCU presidency is more than just an occupation within the Black community—it is a prominent position of service and influence. Within the historical and racial context found in the United States regarding African Americans and HBCUs (Evans et al., 2002; Gasman et al., 2007, Gasman, 2011), this responsibility carries much weight. The unique challenges of HBCU leadership undoubtedly influence HBCU presidents’ leadership styles. The general stereotype of HBCU leadership is that it is autocratic in nature (Gasman, 2011; Minor, 2005). However, there are many HBCU leaders such as Johnetta B. Cole, Norman Francis, and Marcus Sorrell who practice shared governance, student focused strategic planning, and servant leadership. These leaders represent those who do not exemplify this stereotype and more must be understood about this subset within HBCU leadership.