Storytelling is a cultural practice and tool supporting Black collective persistence and resilience against racial oppression. As incidences of racial tension have increased at historically White colleges and universities (HWCUs) over the past 10 years, little is known about the ways storytelling may be engaged as a coping mechanism in this specific context between Black students and personnel. This qualitative research leverages critical race theory to explore two central guiding questions: (a) How do Black students and personnel experience intragroup (counter-) storytelling during moments of elevated racialized tension at an HWCU? and (b) In what ways does this experience influence how Black students and personnel cope with the elevated racial tension, if at all? Fourteen individuals, including Black faculty members, undergraduates, graduate students, and administrators, participated in two distinct focus groups from an HWCU in the southeastern United States experiencing elevated racial tension. Critical race methodology informed a thematic analysis of the focus group data and follow-up interviews, which provided insight on the experience of storytelling and its potential influence on Black people at HWCUs as a strategy for collective persistence and resistance during moments of elevated racial divisiveness. The dissertation concludes with implications for future directions in practice and research. [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.]