Francis Cecil Sumner
Encyclopedia
Francis Cecil Sumner was an influential psychologist who is commonly referred to as the "Father of Black Psychology
". In 1920, Sumner became the first African American to receive a Ph.D. degree in psychology.
In 1911, at the age of fifteen, Sumner was accepted into Lincoln University after completing an entrance exam ,since he did not have a high school diploma. Sumner and his parents worked very hard to pay for his fees and tuition. At the age of twenty in 1915, Sumner graduated magna cum laude with honors in English, modern languages, Greek, Latin and philosophy. Sumner later attended Clark University
, where he developed a mentor-mentee relationship with the president of Clark, G. Stanley Hall
. Hall is credited with being the founder of child psychology and educational psychology
. While his earlier views may have been considered racist, Hall’s actions in later life contradicted this, seeing as he was an impetus in getting Black students enrolled in Clark University. Hall and Sumner’s relationship became one of mutual respect as Hall continued to provide encouragement to Sumner and many other Black students. Sumner graduated from Clark University in 1916 with a B.A degree in English.
In the fall of 1916, Sumner returned to Lincoln University as a graduate student. As part of his requirements, he was an instructor in some of the areas that he was studying, including religious study, psychology, philosophy, and German. It was at this time that Sumner began to consider advancing his study in psychology. Sumner kept contact with Hall, asking for assistance and consideration for a fellowship award to study “race psychology” at Clark University. This later became his area of focus as he worked toward “the understanding and elimination of racial bias in the administration of justice.” In 1917, Sumner returned to Clark University to continue is graduate studies and was approved as a Ph.D. candidate for psychology, but could not begin his doctoral dissertation; he was drafted into the army during World War I
.
During his year (1918–1919) in WWI, Sumner was sent to the battlefield in Germany and in his time there, he kept contact with his mentor, G. Stanley Hall. Sumner asked to be reconsidered as a candidate upon getting out of the war and Hall worked quickly to ensure that Sumner could return to Clark after the war. In the summer of 1919, Sumner returned to Clark University, and on June 14, 1920, his doctoral dissertation entitled “Psychoanalysis of Freud and Adler” was accepted and he became the first African American to receive a Ph.D. degree in psychology.
As a professor, Sumner taught psychology and philosophy at Wilberforce University
(Ohio), Southern University
(Louisiana), and West Virginia Collegiate Institute. In his time at these universities, he published several articles, but not without facing financial difficulty, because white research agencies refused to provide funding for him. From 1928 until his death in 1954, Sumner served as the chair of the psychology department at Howard University
. Sumner is credited, along with Max Meenes and Frederick P. Watts, with helping develop the psychology department at Howard University. He also is known for teaching famous social psychologist Kenneth B. Clark, who was an influential figure in the civil rights movement. He encouraged that psychology should move away from philosophy and the school of education.
For many years, Sumner served as the official abstractor for many psychological journals including Psychological Bulletin
and Journal of Social Psychology
. Making use of his background and knowledge of several languages, Sumner translated numerous articles from German, French, and Spanish.
, American Association for the Advancement of Science
, American Educational Research Association
, Eastern Psychological Association, Southern Society for Philosophy and Psychology, and the District of Columbia Psychological Association. He was a member of fraternal organizations, including Psi Chi
, Pi Gamma Mu
, and Kappa Alpha Psi
, writing several journal articles for the latter fraternity.
Black psychology
"African Psychology is defined as a system of knowledge concerning the nature of the social universe from the perspectives of African cosmology...
". In 1920, Sumner became the first African American to receive a Ph.D. degree in psychology.
Early life and family
Francis Cecil Sumner was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas on December 7, 1895. He was the second son of David Alexander and Ellen Lillian Sumner and younger brother to Eugene Sumner.Education
After completing his elementary school education, Sumner did not have the opportunity to attend high school because at the time not many Blacks had that opportunity. In his effort to continue his education, Sumner became an avid reader and with the help of his parents, he was able to access old textbooks. This habit developed at a young age contributed greatly to his success in life and in his career.In 1911, at the age of fifteen, Sumner was accepted into Lincoln University after completing an entrance exam ,since he did not have a high school diploma. Sumner and his parents worked very hard to pay for his fees and tuition. At the age of twenty in 1915, Sumner graduated magna cum laude with honors in English, modern languages, Greek, Latin and philosophy. Sumner later attended Clark University
Clark University
Clark University is a private research university and liberal arts college in Worcester, Massachusetts.Founded in 1887, it is the oldest educational institution founded as an all-graduate university. Clark now also educates undergraduates...
, where he developed a mentor-mentee relationship with the president of Clark, G. Stanley Hall
G. Stanley Hall
Granville Stanley Hall was a pioneering American psychologist and educator. His interests focused on childhood development and evolutionary theory...
. Hall is credited with being the founder of child psychology and educational psychology
Educational psychology
Educational psychology is the study of how humans learn in educational settings, the effectiveness of educational interventions, the psychology of teaching, and the social psychology of schools as organizations. Educational psychology is concerned with how students learn and develop, often focusing...
. While his earlier views may have been considered racist, Hall’s actions in later life contradicted this, seeing as he was an impetus in getting Black students enrolled in Clark University. Hall and Sumner’s relationship became one of mutual respect as Hall continued to provide encouragement to Sumner and many other Black students. Sumner graduated from Clark University in 1916 with a B.A degree in English.
In the fall of 1916, Sumner returned to Lincoln University as a graduate student. As part of his requirements, he was an instructor in some of the areas that he was studying, including religious study, psychology, philosophy, and German. It was at this time that Sumner began to consider advancing his study in psychology. Sumner kept contact with Hall, asking for assistance and consideration for a fellowship award to study “race psychology” at Clark University. This later became his area of focus as he worked toward “the understanding and elimination of racial bias in the administration of justice.” In 1917, Sumner returned to Clark University to continue is graduate studies and was approved as a Ph.D. candidate for psychology, but could not begin his doctoral dissertation; he was drafted into the army during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
During his year (1918–1919) in WWI, Sumner was sent to the battlefield in Germany and in his time there, he kept contact with his mentor, G. Stanley Hall. Sumner asked to be reconsidered as a candidate upon getting out of the war and Hall worked quickly to ensure that Sumner could return to Clark after the war. In the summer of 1919, Sumner returned to Clark University, and on June 14, 1920, his doctoral dissertation entitled “Psychoanalysis of Freud and Adler” was accepted and he became the first African American to receive a Ph.D. degree in psychology.
Career
Sumner’s area of focus was in investigating how to refute racism and bias in the theories used to conclude the inferiority of African Americans. Sumner’s work is thought to be a response to the Eurocentric methods of psychology.As a professor, Sumner taught psychology and philosophy at Wilberforce University
Wilberforce University
Wilberforce University is a private, coed, liberal arts historically black university located in Wilberforce, Ohio. Affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church, it was the first college to be owned and operated by African Americans...
(Ohio), Southern University
Southern University
Southern University and A&M College is a historically black college located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Baton Rouge campus is located on Scott’s Bluff overlooking the Mississippi River in the northern section...
(Louisiana), and West Virginia Collegiate Institute. In his time at these universities, he published several articles, but not without facing financial difficulty, because white research agencies refused to provide funding for him. From 1928 until his death in 1954, Sumner served as the chair of the psychology department at Howard University
Howard University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
. Sumner is credited, along with Max Meenes and Frederick P. Watts, with helping develop the psychology department at Howard University. He also is known for teaching famous social psychologist Kenneth B. Clark, who was an influential figure in the civil rights movement. He encouraged that psychology should move away from philosophy and the school of education.
For many years, Sumner served as the official abstractor for many psychological journals including Psychological Bulletin
Psychological Bulletin
Psychological Bulletin is a peer-reviewed academic journal specializing in literature reviews. It was founded by Johns Hopkins psychologist James Mark Baldwin in 1904 immediately after he had bought out James McKeen Cattell's share of Psychological Review, which the two had founded ten years...
and Journal of Social Psychology
Journal of Social Psychology
The Journal of Social Psychology is a monthly psychology journal published by Routledge, who acquired it from Heldref Publications in 2009. The journal was founded in 1929 by John Dewey and Carl Murchison...
. Making use of his background and knowledge of several languages, Sumner translated numerous articles from German, French, and Spanish.
Awards
Sumner was a member of many associations, including the American Psychological AssociationAmerican Psychological Association
The American Psychological Association is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States. It is the world's largest association of psychologists with around 154,000 members including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. The APA...
, American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the...
, American Educational Research Association
American Educational Research Association
The American Educational Research Association, or AERA, was founded in 1916 as a professional organization representing educational researchers in the United States and around the world....
, Eastern Psychological Association, Southern Society for Philosophy and Psychology, and the District of Columbia Psychological Association. He was a member of fraternal organizations, including Psi Chi
Psi Chi
Psi Chi is the International Honor Society in Psychology, founded in 1929 for the purposes of encouraging, stimulating, and maintaining excellence in scholarship, and advancing the science of psychology. With over 1,050 chapters, Psi Chi is one of the largest honor societies in the United States...
, Pi Gamma Mu
Pi Gamma Mu
Pi Gamma Mu or ΠΓΜ is the oldest and preeminent honor society in the social sciences. It is also the only interdisciplinary social science honor society. It serves the various social science disciplines which seek to understand and explain human behavior and social relationships as well as their...
, and Kappa Alpha Psi
Kappa Alpha Psi
Kappa Alpha Psi is a collegiate Greek-letter fraternity with a predominantly African American membership. Since the fraternity's founding on January 5, 1911 at Indiana University Bloomington, the fraternity has never limited membership based on color, creed or national origin...
, writing several journal articles for the latter fraternity.