Francis Cecil Sumner
| Francis Cecil Sumner | |
|---|---|
| Born |
December 7, 1895 Pine Bluff, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Died | January 12, 1954 (aged 58) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Residence | Austria, (later) England |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater |
Lincoln University Clark University |
| Known for | First African American to receive a Ph.D in Psychology |
| Spouse(s) |
Frances Houston Divorced. Nettie M Broker 1946- |
Frances Houston
Francis Cecil Sumner (December 7, 1895 - January 12, 1954) was a pivotal leader in education reform. He is commonly referred to as the "Father of Black Psychology." He is primarily known for being the first African American to receive a Ph.D in psychology (in 1920), as well as the first African-American to receive an earned doctorate in any American university. He worked closely with G. Stanley Hall during his time at Clark University, and his dissertation—published in Pedagogical Seminary, which later became the Journal of Genetic Psychology—focused on "Psychoanalysis of Freud and Adler."
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.
Sumner received his elementary education in Norfolk, Virginia, and Plainfield, New Jersey. Sumner then proceeded to educate himself, with much help from his parents, who too were self-educated. Although the United States was the first nation to open secondary education to the general public in the early 1800s, in the late 19th century/early 20th century, many high schools did not admit females and minorities; thus Sumner did not receive a formal post primary education. His parents gave him many assignments to do, which consisted of many days of intense reading and writing. To buy the school books necessary, his parents would work extra hours. At the time, most secondary schools would not accept females and minorities. Sumner’s applications to schools would read “private instruction in secondary subjects by father.
In 1911, at the age of 15, Sumner passed a written test to gain acceptance into Lincoln University as he did not possess a high school diploma. Sumner graduated as valedictorian from Lincoln College magnum cum laude in philosophy with special honors in English, modern languages and Greek, studying also Latin and philosophy, in 1915. Sumner then went to Clark University in 1916 and in the fall he received his 2nd Bachelor's Degree in English. There, 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, as well as the first president of the American Psychological Association. Sumner also developed a relationship with James P. Porter, the dean of Clark University and professor of 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.
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