Researchers have acknowledged that the nation's diverse student populace does not match that of the educational leaders across the country; females and those from marginalized communities, especially African-Americans, are underrepresented as superintendents. Countering traditional notions to analyze urban superintendencies from a deficit perspective, this hermeneutic phenomenological study used a strengths-based approach to examine the experiences contributing to African-American female superintendents' longevity in urban school districts through a critical social theory lens. The researcher integrated purposeful and snowball sampling to identify participants who fit the inclusion criteria. Non-structured interviews occurred to elicit participants' experiences of the lived phenomenon. The researcher followed hermeneutic circling and a modified version of Hycner's explication process to guide data processing and analysis. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]