They have been around forever, supporting women of color in common and unique ways. Sister circles that nourish the needs of Black women have a firm history in the Black community. Organizations such as Black sororities, sewing guilds, health groups, church societies, and book clubs were established out of the need for Black women to come together to support one another. These sister circles have provided strength, purpose, and love where there may have been none.
Black women have their own special place in the United States, attempting to figure out where they fit in, due to the intersection of gender, race, and class. The intersection of these identities can sometimes be overwhelming and downright difficult to maneuver. As a Black woman progressing through a Ph.D. program in higher education, I believe it would be nearly impossible without my sister circle.
Organic groups of sister circles, such as the one at Indiana University, are forming across the country on many college campuses. Eight African-American women from Indiana University earned their Ph.D.s in education. It was reported that this number was quite high, even for a program that usually has a great number of African-American doctoral candidates. They attributed much of their success to the sister circle that they formed to support one another through their educational journey.
Even though these groups are usually not formally recognized, they are integral to the success of Black women Ph.D. candidates. At the university where I attend, there are three Black women in my program. We have formed our own sister circle which has been invaluable to the pursuit of our degrees.
We have vowed to support each other to the end. We have laughed, cried, studied, cajoled, and threatened one another—all in the name of sisterhood. We commit to one another that we will not fail in this process. It is our torch to carry to show our daughters, granddaughters, sisters, nieces, and friends that they can do it too. They will have our shoulders to stand on that we willingly offer.
My sisters and I were all born in different decades, live life differently, and have diverse goals; however, the bonds of the Ph.D. journey and sisterhood have held us together.
I am in my 60s and will continue in the classroom, teaching in the business school. Another sister, a recent new mom who commutes from another state, has aspirations of one day taking on a leadership role at a college or university. The other sister, who recently moved from higher education into private industry, is all about exploring the possibilities. We are in our third year of the process and will begin our dissertation writing very soon. It is a stressful but exciting time for us. What is most important is that I know that we will not only survive the process, but we will soar.
