Black psychology

Black psychology (also called African psychology) is an African cosmological lens applied to social or psychological phenomena. This is approached from two perspectives:

Both perspectives agree that African American psychology is a science and that it is structured and organized. Both African and African American psychologies study the thoughts, behaviors, feelings, beliefs, attitudes, interactions, and well-being of African Americans.

Black psychology has critiqued or rejected white psychology, developed afrocentric models of study and therapy, and intervened in the social struggle for more black and human environments.

The history of early black psychologists is lost to many students due the minimal coverage in courses. However, research performed by early black scholars on the effects of segregation and other racial matters played an important role in American history, like the research by Kenneth Bancroft Clark that was cited in Brown v. Board of Education by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Following the end of the Civil War a push for education began to occur in the Black community. Moving away from secret night schools held during the time of slavery, a variety of learning centers and colleges began to open. Many of these schools were established by missionary associations and various Freedman societies. Federal government land grants such as the Morrill Act of 1862 helped to support these institutions and the additional aid of religious denominations allowed for the support of these schools. The years following saw the founding of Black colleges across the country including notable institutions such as the first historically black college Lincoln University (1854), Fisk University (1865), Howard University (1867), Morehouse College (1867) and Spelman College (1881). By 1940 there were more than one hundred Black colleges in the seventeen southern states offering a variety of degrees with many of the earned degrees in social sciences and education.

Psychology courses became both popular and integral courses in black colleges, with at least one course appearing as early as 1906. Formally trained professors (both black and white) taught courses. Although many universities had programs of great influence, the most prominent was located at Howard University. Howard's successes were due largely to the efforts of Francis Cecil Sumner. Often considered the father of black psychologists, Sumner structured the psychology program, teaching not only the ideas of Edward Titchener, John Watson, and Sigmund Freud, but a myriad of courses in topics such as learning, personality, mental hygiene, and experimental psychology. The experimental focus reflected Sumner's three objectives: to provide students preparation in professional fields, stress the cultural significance of psychology, and prepare students who wish to pursue graduate study. This not only made Howard different from other Black universities, but created a strong program that carried over to graduate studies. Although Howard only offered master's degrees, it offered a strong foundation for those who went on to pursue doctoral degrees.

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