Seeking to research distance performance dynamics, I designed in 1998 a series of African American performances for the BellNet videoconferencing system in a collaborative, quantitative research study with Dr. Stan Dyer, who teaches African American history at Central Texas College. In light of my earlier research and review of relevant, scholarly literature, I  developed these projects as part of research designed to study the relationship of African American role models presented over videoconferencing and locus of control in audience members in Dr. Dyer’s African American history classes (Howard, 1996, 1999).  

In the April 1995 issue of The Industrial and Labor Relations Review, Ehrenberg presented an overview and review of the papers. He asserted that policies abound to increase the number of under-represented faculty in American schools and universities. These policies have been developed to provide employment for representatives of groups who have historically suffered discrimination. They have been designed, furthermore, to provide role models for minority students to enhance their educational performances. He stated that it is generally believed that increasing the proportion of minority teachers leads to improvements in minority academic performance and retention. He projected the hoped-for results of increasing minority faculty: Increasing the number of minority faculty at predominantly white institutions will improve the attractiveness of these schools to minority students. Increasing minority faculty will improve the possibility of minority students graduating. Increasing the minority faculty populations will stimulate the flow of minority students into higher education and into academic careers
(Ehrenberg, 1995).

In their conference paper on the effects of role modeling, "Do Teachers’ Race, Gender, and Ethnicity Matter," Ehrenberg, Goldhaber & Brewer reported their findings concerning the influence of teachers’ race, gender, and ethnicity on their subjective evaluations of their students. Ehrenberg presented the findings of Rothstein and himself that attendance at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) substantially increasec the probability that African American, college students would graduate within seven years of starting college. This may be due to the greater likelihood of teachers and students being of the same race in HBCUs (Ehrenberg et al, 1995).

In the role modeling symposium paper, "The Effect of Attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities on Future Wages of Black Students," Constantine presented her findings that African American students who attend HBCUs received higher earnings than they do if they attend non-HBCUs, in some cases approximately 35% more. Again this may be due to the greater availability of role models of the same race as the students. (Constantine, 1995)

Based on evidence, which is directly and indirectly related, Dr. Stan Dyer, Dr. Lucinda Harman, and myself designed a research study, which was an extension of my 1990’s research  with college African American history students. (Tools for replication of this study are provided in my 1999 book and 1996 dissertation.) In this study African American performers of African American autobiographies are performing for viewing audiences, which consist mostly of African American, college history students, via videoconference equipment. The sample population, which is the viewing audience, is reasonably homogeneous. The basic difference in the subjects of the sample is whether or not they identify role models. There is no controlled treatment. The comparison groups are those subjects who identify role models or not.

African American performers have been selected to perform historic, role model, characters from African American history. All performers have been identified as role models according to their demonstration of character qualities outlined on my role model questionnaire. They are role models in themselves and perform, from African American history, role models displaying character qualities listed on my role model questionnaire. The historic characters being performed present an array of African Americans who overcame adversity throughout American history.

The presenters are performing and participating in discussions with the college student audiences following the performances. Discussion questions, asked by research facilitators from the delivery and receiving sites, are related to the characteristics identified on my role model questionnaire. All subjects participating in this study are pre-tested and post-tested with a locus of control scale and with my questionnaire. Dr. Dyer and I found that our preliminary results (with subjects who have ranged in age from 18 to 56, have been married and single, and have been freshmen-seniors) supported our hypothesis that locus of control is a changeable variable. Our  initial results  also suggested a possible positive link, especially for sophomores through seniors, between internal locus of control and participation in the study (Howard, 2001).

Maya Angelou spoke of the importance of seeing role models:

     We need to see Frances Harper, Sojourner Truth, Frannie Lou Hammer, women of our heritage.
     We need to have these women preserved. We need them all:…Constance Motely, Etta Motten…
      all of these women are important as role models. Depending on our profession, some may be more important.
      Zora Neale Hurston means a great deal to me as a writer…If I were a black male writer, I would think of
      Frederick Douglas, who was not just a politician, but as a writer was stunning. In the nineteenth century
      I would think of William Wells Brown, Martin Delaney, and certainly David Walker…Richard Wright,
      Jean Toomer…Jack Johnson…Jesse Owens…Arthur Ashe… (Angelou in Tate 1983:2)

In light of the evidence that role modeling can impact the achievement motivation in the observer who chooses to identify with the role model, I tell my student writers/performers of autobiography that they should carefully consider the potential role modeling affect of their performances (Howard, 1996, 1999). 

Dan Sullivan of the Los Angeles Times wrote about solo performances:

     …it will be…about someone worth paying attention to, someone who made a difference…leave
     you feeling somewhat better about our chances for survival…We want to hear about people who
     thought they could do something about this world they never made. If Clarence Darrow could
     squeeze justice from the courts; if Will Rogers could blow the stage smoke away from
     the Government and expose the very ordinary people hiding there…maybe there’s a
     chance for us…one leaves this type of evening feeling more nourished than is often the case
     of theatre of fiction… (Sullivan 1975, in Young 1989:64)

I encourage my students, who are writers/performers of autobiography, to make careful decisions about their presentations and choices of characters. They should consider the potential power and impact of the characters they present as role models. They should not underestimate the potential, redemptive, edifying power of their performances for social good.

Constantine ( 1995) The Effect of Attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities on Future Wages of Black Students. Industrial and Labor Relations Review, 48.

Ehrenberg, R. (1995). Role models in education. Industrial and Labor Relations Review, 48, 482-485.