Alvin Francis Poussaint facts for kids

Alvin Francis Poussaint (May 15, 1934 – February 24, 2025) was an American psychiatrist known for his research on the effects of racism in the black community. He was a noted author, public speaker, and television consultant, and dean of students at Harvard Medical School. His work in psychiatry was influenced greatly by the civil rights movement in the South, which he joined in 1965.

While living in the South, Pouissant learned much about American racial dynamics. He soon delved into his first book, Why Blacks Kill Blacks (1972), which looks at the effects of racism on the psychological development of blacks. Most of Poussaint's work focuses on the mental health of African Americans.

Life and career

Alvin Francis Poussaint was born on May 15, 1934, in East Harlem, New York, to immigrants from Haiti. He was the seventh child of eight children born to the parents of Harriet and Christopher Poussaint. The family was Catholic.

At the age of nine, he became ill with rheumatic fever. While being hospitalized, he became very interested in reading and it soon became a passion of his. He carried this passion with him when he attended the science-based high school in New York called Stuyvesant. Stuyvesant was a predominately white institution. Pouissant was one of the few blacks and he encountered racism often. In addition to racist acts against him, he had to deal with losing his mother during high school.

After high school, Poussaint attended Columbia University, where he continued to experience racism. At Columbia, the social scene was particularly disappointing for Poussaint, with him saying, “Social situations were awkward, there being a prevalent feeling among whites that blacks shouldn't come to social events.” In 1956, he graduated from Columbia University with a bachelor's degree in pharmacology. He immediately enrolled in medical school at Cornell Medical School, and he was the only African American admitted during that year. Experiences with racism fueled his career areas of work which focused on the mental health of African Americans and their encounters with racial bias. He became chief resident at the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute. However, in 1965 he left UCLA to become the Southern Field Director of the Medical Committee for Human Rights in Jackson, Mississippi. Poussaint believed that racism was the major mental health problem of the black community. He believed helping desegregate the South, especially with medical facilities would be more helpful than doing research at the time.

He stayed in Mississippi for two years before going to Tufts University Medical program where he was the faculty director of psychiatry. In 1969, he left Tufts and began his long-time journey at Harvard Medical School. He was the associate dean of student affairs. At Harvard he felt a great passion for the affirmative action program and through that he helped 16 African- American students succeed at Harvard. During his tenure at Harvard, Poussaint never let his passion for the Civil Rights Movement fade. He became close friends with Jesse Jackson and was the co-chairman for Jesse Jackson's presidential campaign. In 1973, Poussaint married his first wife, Ann Ashmore. They had one son together. Their marriage lasted until 1988.

In the 1980s, Poussaint became very well known for his work as a media consultant on scripts and storylines for many black sitcoms, such as The Cosby Show and A Different World. He became close friends with Bill Cosby to ensure that the show promoted a positive healthy and realistic image of black families. In this role he had, Poussaint addressed negative racial stereotypes in the media. The entertainment industrial complex was not the only sector that called for Poussaint and his skills. The FBI, the White House and the Department of Health all summoned him for counsel. He continued his interest in media and founded the Media Center of the Judge Baker's Children's Center in 1994. In addition, Poussaint was the co-executive producer of Willoughby's Wonders. The children's show won a New England Emmy Award in 1997 and was praised for showing an urban soccer team that showed skills that children should exhibit, such as teamwork and inclusion. During this highlight of his career, Poussaint married Tina Young, and the two had a daughter in 1999. Poussaint continues to work at Harvard Medical School and continues his research. On multiple occasions he was heavily awarded for his contributions to psychology and a multitude of disciplines.

Poissant died at his Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts home on February 24, 2025, at the age of 90.

Work interest

Alvin F. Poussaint was well known in psychology regarding race relations. Much of his work deconstructs theories of race models by white psychologists previously in the field. Through his research he addresses blatant and subtle forms of racism. Another interest of Poussaint was media consulting. He wants to use media to construct positive role models for children.

"Black Power: A Failure for Integration within the Civil Rights Movement" (1968)

In Alvin Poussaint's article, "Black Power: A Failure for Integration within the Civil Rights Movement" he discusses how the concept of BLACK POWER emerged.

Editorial boards

• The Black Scholar (1970)
• Psychotherapy: Theory and Research and Practice (1972)
• Journal of Afro-American Issues (1972–1980)
• Harvard Medical School Mental Health Newsletter (1983–1988)
• Journal of African American Male Studies (1991)
• Nurture: The Magazine for Raising Positive Children of Color (1994)

Awards and honors

• Doctor of Humane Letters, Virginia State University, Petersburg, MA (2007)
• Doctor of Humane Letters, Alfred University, Alfred, New York (2005)
• New England Emmy award for Outstanding Children's Special as co-executive producer of Willoughby's Wonders (1997)
• Medgar Evers Medal of Honor, Johnson Publishing Company (1988)
• John Jay Award for distinguished professional achievement (1987)
• American Black Achievement Award in Business and the Professions (1986)
• Honorary degree from Wilberforce University (1972)
• Who's Who in America (1969)
• Michael Schwerner Award for contribution to Cause of Civil Rights, New York, NY (1968)