Francis Cecil SumnerFrancis Cecil Sumner(1895-1954)(1895-1954)

OverviewOverviewZeitgeist Zeitgeist Historical Antecedents Historical Antecedents Professional Obstacles Professional Obstacles Overview of Research Interests Overview of Research Interests Experiments/Data/Outcomes Experiments/Data/Outcomes Sumner’s Influences Sumner’s Influences Summary of PresentationSummary of Presentation

““The Spirit of the Times”The Spirit of the Times”

Born 1895Born 1895– 30 years after the 30 years after the

end of the US Civil end of the US Civil WarWar

– 1 year before the 1 year before the 1896 1896 Plessy v Plessy v Ferguson Ferguson decision decision

““The Spirit of the Times” The Spirit of the Times” (continued)(continued)

Died – January 12th, Died – January 12th, 19541954 Five months before Five months before

landmarklandmark Brown Brown vs. Board of vs. Board of EducationEducation decision decision May 17th, 1954May 17th, 1954

““The Spirit of the Times” The Spirit of the Times” (continued)(continued)

From 1876-1920 only 11 blacks out of From 1876-1920 only 11 blacks out of 10,000 recipients had earned PhD’s 10,000 recipients had earned PhD’s – (and none in Psychology until 1920)(and none in Psychology until 1920)

Time LineTime Line 1892 - The APA is founded by 26 1892 - The APA is founded by 26

(white) men(white) men 1920 - Francis Cecil Sumner is the 1920 - Francis Cecil Sumner is the

first African American awarded the first African American awarded the PhD in psychology (from Clark PhD in psychology (from Clark University)University)

1928 – Psychology Department is 1928 – Psychology Department is established at Howard University, established at Howard University, chaired by Francis Cecil Sumnerchaired by Francis Cecil Sumner

Personal History and Personal History and Education Education

Family and Early EducationFamily and Early Education Lincoln University (1911-1915)Lincoln University (1911-1915)

Personal History and Personal History and EducationEducation

Clark College (1915-Clark College (1915-1916)1916)

G. Stanley HallG. Stanley Hall– AccomplishmentsAccomplishments– Relationship to SumnerRelationship to Sumner

Personal History and Personal History and EducationEducation

Lincoln University (1916-1917)Lincoln University (1916-1917) 1917 received M.A. from Lincoln1917 received M.A. from Lincoln

Clark University (1917-1918)Clark University (1917-1918) Military Service (1918-1919)Military Service (1918-1919) Clark University (1919-1920)Clark University (1919-1920)

June 14th, 1920 Received his PhD in June 14th, 1920 Received his PhD in PsychologyPsychology

Personal History and Personal History and EducationEducation

West Virginia Collegiate Institute (1921-West Virginia Collegiate Institute (1921-1928)1928) Offered a position teaching Psychology and Offered a position teaching Psychology and

Philosophy at West Virginia Collegiate InstitutePhilosophy at West Virginia Collegiate Institute Published several articles Published several articles Began writing controversial articles and Began writing controversial articles and

opinions about race and education opinions about race and education Howard University (1928-1954)Howard University (1928-1954)

1930 1930 - Established the psychology department - Established the psychology department and became its chair and became its chair

Obstacles: ChildhoodObstacles: Childhood

Home-Schooled for secondaryHome-Schooled for secondary Raised under zeitgeist of racial Raised under zeitgeist of racial

tensiontension

Obstacles: EducationObstacles: Education Rejected from American U. and Rejected from American U. and

Illinois Illinois Bittersweet relationship with G. Bittersweet relationship with G.

Stanley HallStanley Hall Conflicts at Clark University-Conflicts at Clark University- WWI- WWI-

Obstacles: Post-DoctoralObstacles: Post-Doctoral

Funding for researchFunding for research Ostracized from fellow facultyOstracized from fellow faculty Unrecognized by the discourse Unrecognized by the discourse

community at largecommunity at large

Research InterestResearch Interest

Sumner had at least 45 publications during Sumner had at least 45 publications during his career. Some were in:his career. Some were in:– ““Pure” PsychologyPure” Psychology

““Actual Brightness and Distance of Colors when Actual Brightness and Distance of Colors when Apparent Distance is Held Constant”Apparent Distance is Held Constant”

““Affective Tone of Tactual Impressions”Affective Tone of Tactual Impressions”

– Applied PsychologyApplied Psychology ““Measuring the Relevancy of Picture to Copy in Measuring the Relevancy of Picture to Copy in

Advertising and the Influence of Color on the Advertising and the Influence of Color on the Legibility of Copy”Legibility of Copy”

– Psychology of ReligionPsychology of Religion ““The Mental Hygiene of Religion”The Mental Hygiene of Religion”

Examples of Published Examples of Published WorksWorks

““Core and Context in Core and Context in the Drowsy the Drowsy State”(1924)State”(1924)

““Environic Factors Environic Factors which Prohibit which Prohibit Creative Scholarship Creative Scholarship among among Negreos”(1925)Negreos”(1925)

ExperimentsExperiments

1931 at Howard University “The 1931 at Howard University “The Mental Health of White and Negro Mental Health of White and Negro College Students” College Students” Sumner,F.C., Sumner, Sumner,F.C., Sumner, F.H.F.H.

1950 at Howard University “The 1950 at Howard University “The Persistence of Vocational Preference Persistence of Vocational Preference in Successful Individuals”.in Successful Individuals”. Sumner, F.C., Sumner, F.C., Somerville,AddisonSomerville,Addison

InfluencesInfluences

““I thoroly (sic) believe that if I thoroly (sic) believe that if you make of your study of you make of your study of

psychology a practical matter psychology a practical matter you can be of the greatest you can be of the greatest

service to your own people.”service to your own people.”

– – written to Sumner by Dean James Porter, Clark written to Sumner by Dean James Porter, Clark University (1917) University (1917)

(as cited in Guthrie, 2004, pp. 219)(as cited in Guthrie, 2004, pp. 219)

First Black American to First Black American to receive a Ph.D. in receive a Ph.D. in psychology (1920)psychology (1920)

Despite blatant racism and Despite blatant racism and involvement in WWIinvolvement in WWI

Opened the doors of many Opened the doors of many Black Americans after himBlack Americans after him

Spoke up against Spoke up against inequalities of Black inequalities of Black

AmericansAmericans 1918: Sparked controversial 1918: Sparked controversial

debates in his letters to the debates in his letters to the editor of the Worcester Gazetteeditor of the Worcester Gazette– Actively protested substandard Actively protested substandard

education and oppressioneducation and oppression Probably influenced by W.E.B. DuBoisProbably influenced by W.E.B. DuBois

– Americans’ views of Germans as Americans’ views of Germans as “barbaric, immoral” were actually “barbaric, immoral” were actually projection to minimize guiltprojection to minimize guilt

W.E.B. DuBois

Protested for better Protested for better education of Black studentseducation of Black students

Influenced by his own Influenced by his own education optionseducation options

Argued in a more “politically Argued in a more “politically correct” way in the correct” way in the Educational ReviewEducational Review– Negro as “culturally inferior” Negro as “culturally inferior”

(Sumner, 1927)(Sumner, 1927)– This may have been his only This may have been his only

choice, considering the choice, considering the Zeitgeist (Sawyer, 2000)Zeitgeist (Sawyer, 2000)

Professor at Howard Professor at Howard University (1928)University (1928)

President Johnson at Howard requested President Johnson at Howard requested himhim

Responsible for developing Department of Responsible for developing Department of PsychologyPsychology

45 publications during his tenure45 publications during his tenure By 1972, 300 Ph.D’s had been received by By 1972, 300 Ph.D’s had been received by

African Americans in psychology - 60 of African Americans in psychology - 60 of these had been undergrads or grads in these had been undergrads or grads in Sumner’s departmentSumner’s department

Howard University, cont.Howard University, cont. Kenneth Clark as his Kenneth Clark as his

studentstudent– Kenneth Clark - the Kenneth Clark - the

“most successful and “most successful and influential African influential African American psychologist American psychologist of the 20th century” of the 20th century” (Sawyer, 2000, pp. 136)(Sawyer, 2000, pp. 136)

Howard University’s Howard University’s Department of Department of Psychology still exists Psychology still exists todaytoday

Peer Mentorship Peer Mentorship

A peer mentorship A peer mentorship program was program was developed in his name developed in his name at Clark Universityat Clark University

Helps students to Helps students to “enhance self “enhance self esteem, revitalize esteem, revitalize interest in the interest in the community, and community, and leave their own leave their own legacies as Sumner legacies as Sumner did.” did.” (Francis C. (Francis C. Sumner Mentor Sumner Mentor Program Homepage, Program Homepage, n.d.)n.d.)

In Summary...In Summary...

A Lifetime of Equal RightsA Lifetime of Equal Rights Sumner’s Education through Sumner’s Education through

HardshipsHardships Research Interests Research Interests Influences …. Even TodayInfluences …. Even Today