Martin David Jenkins
Encyclopedia
Dr. Martin D. Jenkins, PhD (September 4, 1904–1978) was an African American
educator, known for his pioneering work in the field of education
.
, Indiana
. Jenkins's father was a civil engineer, a position that placed his family among the approximately 10 middle-class African-American families living in Terre Haute at that time. Jenkins attended a racially segregated public elementary school and later entered a large, integrated high school of over 1500 students where he was one of only a few African-American students in his graduating class of 1921.
Jenkins attended Wiley High School. As captain of the track team and its top sprinter, Jenkins established Vigo County
records in the 50-yard (5.6 seconds), 100-yard (10.2) and 220-yard (24.0) dashes. He then won the district meet in the 100 and 220 to advance to the state finals.
in Engineering
in 1925,from Howard University
. Upon earning an engineering degree from Howard, Jenkins became a partner with his father in a Terre Haute highway contracting business while taking classes at State Normal. He secured an A.B. degree in Education
from Indiana State in 1931 and, on September 7, 1927, wed Elizabeth Lacy.
After teaching briefly at Virginia State College (now Virginia State University
), Jenkins began graduate work at Northwestern University
under Terre Haute native and Indiana State alumnus, Paul A. Witty. He earned a master’s in 1933 and a doctorate in education in 1935. His dissertation was a socio-psychological study of African-American children of superior intelligence.
Before becoming President of Morgan State College
of Baltimore
in 1948, Jenkins was registrar and professor of education at North Carolina A&T(1935–1937); dean of instruction at Cheyney State (Pa.) Teachers College (now Cheyney University)(1937–1938); and professor of education, Howard University
(1938–1948).
A diplomate of the American Board of Examiners in Clinical Psychology, Martin published more than 80 scholarly articles and monographs and lectured on topics related to his expertise throughout the world. He also served on several presidential commissions, councils and task forces.
Honored as a Distinguished Alumnus by Indiana State
in 1964, Jenkins was awarded honorary doctorates by the University of Liberia
, Delaware State College, Howard University
and Johns Hopkins University
, among others. After his retirement as president of Morgan State in 1970, he became the director of the Office of Urban Affairs for the American Council of Education.
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
educator, known for his pioneering work in the field of education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
.
Early life
The only child of David W. and Josephine (Miller) Jenkins, Martin was born in Terre HauteTerre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute is a city and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, near the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a population of 170,943. The city is the county seat of Vigo County and...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. Jenkins's father was a civil engineer, a position that placed his family among the approximately 10 middle-class African-American families living in Terre Haute at that time. Jenkins attended a racially segregated public elementary school and later entered a large, integrated high school of over 1500 students where he was one of only a few African-American students in his graduating class of 1921.
Jenkins attended Wiley High School. As captain of the track team and its top sprinter, Jenkins established Vigo County
Vigo County, Indiana
Vigo County is a county located along the western border of the U.S. state of Indiana. Vigo County is included in the Terre Haute, Indiana, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county seat is Terre Haute....
records in the 50-yard (5.6 seconds), 100-yard (10.2) and 220-yard (24.0) dashes. He then won the district meet in the 100 and 220 to advance to the state finals.
Career
He graduated with a B.S.Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
in 1925,from 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...
. Upon earning an engineering degree from Howard, Jenkins became a partner with his father in a Terre Haute highway contracting business while taking classes at State Normal. He secured an A.B. degree in Education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
from Indiana State in 1931 and, on September 7, 1927, wed Elizabeth Lacy.
After teaching briefly at Virginia State College (now Virginia State University
Virginia State University
Virginia State University is a historically black and land-grant university located north of the Appomattox River in Chesterfield, in the Richmond area. Founded on , Virginia State was the United States's first fully state-supported four-year institution of higher learning for black Americans...
), Jenkins began graduate work at Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
under Terre Haute native and Indiana State alumnus, Paul A. Witty. He earned a master’s in 1933 and a doctorate in education in 1935. His dissertation was a socio-psychological study of African-American children of superior intelligence.
Before becoming President of Morgan State College
Morgan State University
Morgan State University, formerly Centenary Biblical Institute , Morgan College and Morgan State College , is a historically black college in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Morgan is Maryland's designated public urban university and the largest HBCU in the state of Maryland...
of Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
in 1948, Jenkins was registrar and professor of education at North Carolina A&T(1935–1937); dean of instruction at Cheyney State (Pa.) Teachers College (now Cheyney University)(1937–1938); and professor of education, 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...
(1938–1948).
A diplomate of the American Board of Examiners in Clinical Psychology, Martin published more than 80 scholarly articles and monographs and lectured on topics related to his expertise throughout the world. He also served on several presidential commissions, councils and task forces.
Honored as a Distinguished Alumnus by Indiana State
Indiana State University
Indiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" seven years running, and the College of Education's Graduate Program was recently named as a 'Top 100' by U.S...
in 1964, Jenkins was awarded honorary doctorates by the University of Liberia
University of Liberia
The University of Liberia is a publicly funded institution of higher learning located in Monrovia, Liberia. Authorized by the national government in 1851, the school opened in 1863 as Liberia College and became a university in 1951. The school is one of the oldest institutions of higher learning...
, Delaware State College, 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...
and Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
, among others. After his retirement as president of Morgan State in 1970, he became the director of the Office of Urban Affairs for the American Council of Education.
Dissertation
- Jenkins, M. D. (1935). "A Socio-Psychological Study of Negro Children of Superior Intelligence". Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Northwestern UniversityNorthwestern UniversityNorthwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
.