African American first-generation college students are a critical population to understand and explore within the context of higher education. Despite facing historical and systematic racism and discrimination in educational institutions, the eleven African American first-generation graduates in this study enacted personal and cultural strengths that aided their successful navigation of college. Grounded in Yosso’s (2005) Community Cultural Wealth Model, interviews were conducted and photos were elicited to better understand the tools students used to graduate from a large public predominantly White institution in the Southeast.

Four overall themes emerged that shed light on the social and cultural assets participants employed to successfully navigate a predominantly White institution in the Southeast as African American first-generation college students: (1) resilience before entering and while navigating college, (2) the realization and actualization of students’ Black identity, (3) a sense of connection and belonging while in college, and (4) a family support system.