Adults learn and develop in various contexts, which affect how they construct and reconstruct aspects of their identities. Such identity construction and reconstruction can occur through mediated or unmediated means. Within the context of this study, adult identity development through unmediated learning within digital spaces is analyzed. Specific to this study is Black natural hair care blogs (BNHCBs) that developed at the precipice of the "natural hair" movement, which inspires Black women to wear their hair in its natural (i.e., nonchemically processed or straightened, kinky/curly) state. To this, Black feminists, such as bell hooks, argue that the natural hair movement is also a movement of resistance to maintain the status quo, especially Eurocentric standards of beauty. This counterhegemonic perspective can greatly impact one's learning and identity development, specifically within the context of digital spaces, such as YouTube, Facebook, and various blogs that support dynamic, user-generated content. As such, this qualitative research study examines Black female identity development through the medium of blogging within the online learning communities of BNHCBs. In particular, this is a qualitative media content analysis (QMCA) and critical discourse analysis (CDA) of blog posts and comments from BNHCBs. Additional sources of data are in-depth, semi-structured interviews with blog commenters (i.e., blog readers who post comments). The following questions guide this study: (1) What discursive practices do the bloggers use to facilitate identity formation and critical consciousness in their readers, as a means of engaging in resistance?; (2) What discursive practices do the blog commenters use in response to the bloggers' practices that indicate identity formation and critical consciousness toward resistance?; and (3) How do the blog commenters' online personalities align with their offline personalities? The findings related to the first two research questions are organized in four principles related to the analyzed BNHCBs. First, is the politics of representation, which highlight the themes of: (a) the importance of Black affinity spaces; (b) the fetishizing of Black women's bodies; and (c) the deconstruction of the angry Black woman trope. Second, is the critical analysis of popular culture and media that highlights: (a) the lack of self-ethnic reflectors of Black women and (b) deconstructs the commodification of natural hair. Third, is the BNHCBs as a journalistic sociopolitical intervention, which emphasizes: (a) Black women's sense of agency; (b) the normalization of natural hair; and (c) critical reflection of media messages. Fourth, is the dialogic exchange of information on BNHCBs manifested in: (a) initiating and maintaining conversations and (b) positioning blog commenters as the experts. Moreover, the analysis of participant interviews and their recent blog posts attend to the third research question, and not only manifest the same four principles identified above but also demonstrate how closely the participants' online and offline identities align. The study ends with implications of the findings for theory and practice within the field of lifelong learning and adult education. It also outlines the limitations of the study and makes suggestions for future 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.]