The purpose of this study was to to determine whether there is a relationship between management characteristics of writing center directors and the ability for writing centers to overcome challenges as perceived by writing center directors at public, four-year, historically black colleges/universities. This study also provides directors with suggested methods to use when advocating on behalf of the writing centers they serve. It fills a gap in the literature on the relationship between directors' management styles and the viability of their writing centers. Two research questions were used to guide this study: What are the management characteristics of writing center directors at public, four-year HBCUs? What are the perceived challenges of writing centers at public, four-year HBCUs? The results of the first research question revealed that the likelihood of a non-viable writing center appears to be correlated with having a director who is not using the politician management style. The results of the second research question revealed that insufficient funding and staffing continue to plague the writing center community. [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.]