Critical Race Theory (CRT) from its inception was not intended to be a theoretical framework, but rather a theorizing counterspace for scholars of color to challenge and transform racial oppression. Despite this context, the author demonstrates through a critical literature review that CRT is generally applied as a theoretical framework in higher education scholarship. As a constructive criticism, the author offers a critical theory of racism, hegemonic Whiteness, as an additional tenet of CRT. The author then applies hegemonic Whiteness to CRT, demonstrating how this theory of racism helps CRT work through several of its conceptual tensions.