Leadership remains an important topic across various disciples. The continuous demonstration of effective leadership and its impact on institutions and society fuels the inquiry into the various ways, behaviors, traits, and situations in which leaders and leadership are successful (Kezar & Lester, 2011). As more African Americans advance in higher education, so does the interest in studying the leadership of marginalized groups (Murtadha & Watts, 2005). This qualitative study revealed the values and images of a humanistic leadership style that are absent from mainstream leadership theories and practices by examining the theoretical lens of Ubuntu, an indigenous African philosophy. Using a single case approach, the studied captured a people-centered leader who utilized various management tools to empower, develop, and implement change. This study captured the (1) complex nature of African American leadership in academia; (2) explored how current mainstream leadership theories appear deficient in understanding the leadership style of African American leaders in higher education; and (3) attempted to uncover a new way of conceptualizing African American leadership. This approach broadened the traditional view of leadership by exploring the core concepts of the Ubuntu philosophy as a viable tool to train future Black leaders. [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/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]