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Mamie Phipps Clark
(1917 – 1983) was the first African-American woman to
receive a doctorate degree in psychology from the University
of Columbia. Her most famous research was conducted with
the now well-known Doll Test in researching the effects of
discrimination and racial identity. Her research was a key
component in the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court
case that changed state laws about separating black and
white children in the public school system as
unconstitutional.
Herman George
Canady (1917 – 1983) conducted studies about racial bias
in IQ testing. He was a Psychologist at Howard University
studying self-concept of African Americans. His research
led to him being an expert witness for the NAACP in
segregation and employment discrimination.
Solomon Fuller
(1872 – 1953) was the first African-American
psychiatrist to become recognized by the American
Psychological Association. Dr. Fuller graduated from
Boston School of Medicine in 1897 and continued on to study
neurodegenerative diseases to include schizophrenia,
Alzheimer’s and manic depression. Over his career, he made
groundbreaking discoveries on how Alzheimer’s physically
changes the brain.
While the list goes
on, the presence of African Americans in mental health has
grown and chances are you will now find an African American
mental health provider listed in your area and in your
insurance group. If you utilize a search engine such as
www.psychologytoday.com you may filter out your provider by
gender, race, zip code and other specialties.
Mental health is a
most important aspect of one’s overall health. Any part of
one’s health that is misinterpreted or misunderstood due to
racial bias can be detrimental in one receiving the best
care and one returning to continued care. Mental health is
often seen as a stigma in African American culture. Don’t
allow it to be a roadblock to your overall health.
Bernadette
Graham is a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor,
National Certified Counselor and Certified Grief Recovery
Specialist. Provide feedback or reach out at
graham.bernadette@gmail.com For appointment information
please call 419.409.4929 (Telehealth is available for
ongoing and new clients at this time as well as in person
appointments available on Tuesdays and Fridays only). Office
location is 3454 Oak Alley Ct. Suite 300 Toledo, OH 43606
www.bjgrahamcounseling.com
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