Succeeding against the odds: An examination of familial influences on the career development of professional African American women

In spite of racism, African American women have pursued career goals, enter ed the workplace, and maintained successful careers. This persistence by Af rican American women can be connected theoretically to several phenomena-th e most notable being the family experience. The purpose of this study was t o describe how 14 African American women in the midpoint of their careers p erceived their family's influence on their career development. Consensual q ualitative research (C. E. Hill, B. J. Thompson, & E. Nutt-Williams, 1997) was used to analyze the interview responses of these women. The most salien t variables related to career development included family emphasis on educa tion, relationships with family members, and family's social and economic r esources. Other variables that shaped the career development of this sample included family gender role socialization and values toward work.