Persistence and graduation rates of African American students have become discussion topics of national, state, and educational leaders (U.S. Department of Education, 2012). Many African American students enroll in postsecondary education but do not persist to graduation (Harris, 2016). The purpose of this study was to explore African American students' social, cognitive, and institutional experiences at a two-year institution in Texas. The researcher used a qualitative phenomenological design to employ a thematic analysis of data derived from individual interviews, a focus group, and document review. Findings of the study suggested African American students are likely to persist when supportive relationships exist and resources are accessible and utilized. In addition, outcomes of the study revealed cognitive, social, and institutional experiences that influence student persistence. Recommendations for future research include exploring factors affecting African American student persistence, inclusive of students and faculty perspectives and a case study including experiences of African American students from two or more 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/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]