This study examines the structural, institutional, and representational barriers and challenges of African American women college and university presidents at baccalaureate institutions and the personal and professional coping strategies they use to persist. The analysis distinguishes between barriers faced on route to the presidency and challenges faced while serving as president in order to fill an empirical gap in the literature regarding challenges faced by African American women presidents. This study uses the method of counterstories to uplift the voices of these leaders and to disrupt the dominant narratives about the lack of African American women leadership in colleges and universities. These counterstories draw from in-depth semi structured virtual interviews with a purposeful sample of nine African American women college and university presidents. The presidents' counterstories are analyzed through frameworks of Black Feminist Thought (BFT) and Intersectionality. An intersectional analysis revealed these presidents encounter interlocking racialized and gendered barriers ascending to the presidency and challenges during their presidencies that 1) communicate others' beliefs that African American women cannot or should not be college presidents, 2) affect their self-perception about their ability and interest in being college presidents, and 3) overtly limit their ascendency to the role and efficacy once in the role. This study also found coping strategies of resiliency and responsibility that allow them to stay in their presidencies. The resiliency and effectiveness of these presidents shines through in their counterstories as proof of their ability to lead. Results from this study provide insight into African American women's leadership in higher education and can inspire African American female students and administrators to seek higher education leadership. In addition, results may inform search firms and can provide trustees and board members with insights to experiences African American women have as president as they consider them as leaders for their institutions. [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.]