Antoinette “Bonnie” Candia-Bailey was a passionate advocate for Black women in academia. Prior to her role as Lincoln University’s vice president of student affairs, Candia-Bailey dedicated her dissertation to exploring the challenges that Black women encounter while trying to ascend the professional ladder in academia. Shockingly, her research mirrored her own tragic circumstances in the months leading up to her death on January 8.
Comfort Okpala, a professor of leadership studies at North Carolina A&T State University and Candia-Bailey’s dissertation advisor, expressed her astonishment at the alignment between Candia-Bailey’s experiences and the core themes of her dissertation. In her dissertation titled “My Sister, Myself: The Identification of Sociocultural Factors that Affect the Advancement of African-American Women into Senior-Level Administrative Positions,” Candia-Bailey interviewed over a dozen Black women in leadership positions in universities and colleges across North Carolina. These women shared stories of being overlooked for promotions, facing stereotypes, and experiencing discrimination, all of which profoundly impacted their job satisfaction.
Okpala recalled Candia-Bailey’s passion for the topic, which was rooted in her personal experiences and observations within higher education. Candia-Bailey considered the subject to be close to her heart.
Antoinette “Bonnie” Candia-Bailey. (Lincoln University)
Candia-Bailey tragically took her own life at the age of 49 in Illinois. Her mother, Veronica Candia, and husband Anthony Bailey revealed that Lincoln University’s president, John Moseley, terminated her employment shortly before her death. Bailey also mentioned that Candia-Bailey had been feeling depressed and unsupported at work. During the holiday break in December, she confided in her family about her deteriorating relationship with Moseley, although she did not provide specific details.
A close friend of Candia-Bailey, Monica Graham, received an email from her on the day of her death. The email included a letter addressed to Moseley, in which Candia-Bailey voiced concerns about his leadership and accused him of intentional harassment and bullying. The tragic event led to student and alumni protests, demanding Moseley’s removal from his position.
According to emails obtained by an individual close to Candia-Bailey, she had sought medical leave and accommodations due to her struggle with severe depression and anxiety. However, her requests were reportedly denied. Lincoln University’s board of curators and Moseley did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
This tragic incident has further highlighted the disproportionate obstacles and discrimination faced by Black women in academia, with little institutional protection. In her dissertation, Candia-Bailey emphasized the urgent need for higher education institutions to address the numerous challenges that Black women encounter in academia. These challenges include being treated as outsiders, being overlooked and discounted due to their race, age, and gender, and having their voices silenced.
Research indicates that Black women are severely underrepresented in leadership positions within higher education institutions. Even when they manage to overcome barriers and secure these positions, they often endure race- and gender-based discrimination, as documented in a study published in the Frontiers in Sociology journal.
Black women in leadership positions across the country share similar experiences, as revealed by Brandi Hinnant-Crawford, an associate professor of educational leadership at Clemson University. Hinnant-Crawford co-authored an essay in 2021 on racism and misogyny in academia. She expressed her belief that higher education institutions rarely support Black women who seek help within their roles, leading to harmful consequences.
Protests related to the circumstances surrounding Candia-Bailey’s death continued, with students gathering outside a closed Board of Curators meeting to demand accountability. Hinnant-Crawford supports the protests and calls for Moseley’s removal, but she hopes that support for Candia-Bailey and Black women in academia will extend beyond these actions.
The board of curators at Lincoln University announced that Moseley has been placed on paid leave while a third party conducts a review into the handling of personnel issues and investigates Candia-Bailey’s allegations.
To access the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, call or text 988. Alternatively, you can visit 988lifeline.org for live chat support. Additional resources can be found at SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources.
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