We explored the historical and contemporary struggles of Black female scholars who overcame multiple forms of resistance in higher education. In addition to a review of some of the most recent literature on the subject and our personal reflections of our sojourns in higher education, we also examined the educational journeys of Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander, Eva Beatrice Dykes, and Georgiana Simpson--the first Black women in the United States to earn doctorate degrees. To understand the present challenges Black female faculty face in academe, we contend that it is important to acknowledge the pioneering efforts of Black women who pushed against oppressive boundaries in the past. As Black women consider a journey in higher education, many can gain strength from appreciating some of the first Black women to earn doctoral degrees in the United States.