Date of Conferral

7-29-2025

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Health

Advisor

Dr. Jeanne Connors

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic tested the leadership, response, and resilience of Black American pastors and their communities. These pastors played a crucial role in supporting their communities to lessen the impact the virus had on underlying health conditions and socioeconomic hardships that were exacerbated by the pandemic. Despite their efforts, Black American pastors frequently encountered challenges helping their community. The current research sought to understand the lived experiences of Black American pastors during the pandemic and their interactions with public health institutions to secure resources for their communities through Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The study was guided by the research question, “What is the role of Black American pastors and their interaction with public health during the COVID-19 pandemic?” The theoretical framework for this study was Lewin’s leadership theory, which aimed to provide insight and a deeper understanding of their leadership and role during a crisis through transcribed interviews. Ten Black American pastors were recruited using purposeful sampling, and data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews. The analysis followed Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic approach, which identified patterns and themes within the data. The findings revealed that Black pastors exhibited advocacy, servant, transformation, and situational leadership styles during a time of national and community crisis. Their leadership was imperative in addressing resource gaps and emphasized the urgent need for collaborative efforts and strategic partnerships, affirming that their enduring leadership remains the blueprint for building resilient, underserved communities and driving positive social change.

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