Members of racial and ethnic minority groups earn doctoral degrees at rates far below what is expected given their representation in the doctoral-age population. This research expands our understanding of the experiences of Black doctoral students who persist and their post-Ph.D. career aspirations. Using the semi-structured, in-depth interviewing as its methodology, and the Listening Guide method as an analytical approach, the research traces the psychological logic of students who negotiate across cultures and contexts en route to the Ph.D. The results of the study suggest a need to revise the framework of doctoral education to (1) address the losses that accompany the accumulation of educational privilege and experiences of ongoing marginalization and (2) recognize the potential for innovative work among students who address complex problems in the humanistic and social sciences. The study concludes with theorizing about what that framework could be, and it offers recommendations for 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/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]