Charles Henry Thompson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charles Henry Thompson
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| Born | July 19, 1895 |
| Died | January 16, 1980 (aged 84) |
| Nationality | American |
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Charles Henry Thompson (born July 19, 1895, died January 16, 1980) was an American expert in how people learn, called an educational psychologist. He was the first African-American to get a special advanced degree (a doctorate) in this field. He earned his Master's and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Chicago.
Born in Jackson, Mississippi, he later became a teacher and leader at Howard University. At Howard, he became the dean (a top leader) of the liberal arts college and then the dean of the graduate school. He made many important changes there. He also started the Journal of Negro Education, a special magazine about the education of African-American students.
Thompson wrote over 100 articles and papers, many about improving education for African-American students. He also helped as a legal expert in important court cases about ending segregation in schools. These cases included Sweatt v. Painter, Sipuel v. Board of Regents, and McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents. He also helped with the famous Brown v. Board of Education case.
Early Life and Education
Charles Henry Thompson was born on July 19, 1895, in Jackson, Mississippi. He was the only child of Reverend Patrick H. and Mrs. Sara E. Thompson. He went to Jackson College for his early schooling.
In 1911, Thompson decided to attend Virginia Union University. This was because there were very few high schools for African Americans in Mississippi. Virginia Union University was one of the few colleges that accepted African-American students. A teacher there, Joshua Baker Simpson, inspired Thompson to use research to help African Americans.
College and Military Service
Thompson graduated with high honors in 1917. He then served in the military overseas during World War I. After his military service ended in 1919, Thompson enrolled at the University of Chicago.
At this university, African Americans often had to repeat some undergraduate studies. This was to prove they could handle graduate-level work. So, Thompson earned a second bachelor's degree with special honors in psychology.
In 1920, he completed a master’s degree in education. His thesis (a long research paper) was called “A Study of the Reading Accomplishments of Colored and White Children.” It compared the learning abilities of Black children in Chicago.
Doctorate in Educational Psychology
Thompson taught at Virginia Union while working on his doctorate at the University of Chicago in 1921. From 1922 to 1924, he taught teacher training at the State Normal School in Montgomery, Alabama. He then went back to finish his doctorate in educational psychology.
Thompson was one of the first African Americans to get a doctorate in education with a focus on educational psychology. He chose this path because he wanted to help others get access to information and learning. He strongly believed that good education should be available to talented African-American students and those from low-income families.
Career Highlights
Thompson first taught psychology at Virginia Union University from 1920 to 1921. The next year, he became the director of instruction at Alabama State Normal School until 1924. In 1925, Thompson became a professor of psychology and social science at Summer High School and Junior College in Kansas. He left this job a year later.
Leading at Howard University
Thompson found his long-term home at Howard University, where he worked from 1926 until his retirement in 1966. He held many important jobs there:
- Associate Professor
- Professor and Chairman of the Department of Education
- Dean of the College of Liberal Arts
- Dean of the Graduate School
- Founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Negro Education
As Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, Thompson improved how students were chosen. He used nationwide scholarship exams to find promising high school graduates. He also made the admission process better and started a system to advise new students. Thompson also helped improve faculty policies and how standardized tests were used.
As Dean of the Graduate School, Thompson changed many parts of the programs. This included master’s degree requirements and standards for admission and scholarships. He also advised for "The Nation’s Schools" (1943-1950) and "World Book Encyclopedia" (1942-1962).
Thompson was an expert witness in many school desegregation cases. These included the "Sweatt Case" in Texas (1946), the "Sipuel Case" in Oklahoma (1947), and the "McLaurin" case in Oklahoma (1947).
Important Ideas
Arguing Against "Separate but Equal"
In an article for his "Journal of Negro Education," Thompson wrote about "Court Action the Only Reasonable Alternative to Remedy Immediate Abuses of the Negro Separate School." In this article, he strongly argued against segregated schools. He said that courts were the best way to end segregation because they could make long-lasting changes.
Thompson explained why segregated schools were harmful:
- Segregation was hurtful: He said that segregation made African Americans feel like they were "inferior and undesirable." This feeling came from white leaders and policies.
- Not fair financially: Running two separate schools (one for Black students and one for white students) in the same area cost twice as much. Often, the white schools got most of the money and resources. This meant the idea of "separate but equal" was a myth.
- Bad for all children: Thompson argued that segregation was bad for both African-American and white children. He believed that children should grow up learning to respect different races. He thought that integration could help reduce racism and promote positive attitudes among all students.
Challenging Ideas About Race and Intelligence
When Thompson started his career, many papers claimed that African-American students were naturally less intelligent than white students. Thompson believed this idea was wrong. He said that the evidence for it was not reliable.
He studied students from different schools in various states, comparing those from cities and rural areas. He found that African-American students in cities often did better than white students in rural areas. He thought this was because city schools usually had more funding.
Thompson argued that differences in school performance were due to a child’s environment, not their race. He concluded that the idea of racial intelligence differences was a myth. He felt it was wrong to base policies on such unproven ideas.
Supporting Gifted African-American Students
Thompson believed that students who grew up in poverty or segregated schools could benefit the most from higher education. He suggested several ways to help talented students succeed:
- Lower tuition fees: To make higher education affordable for gifted students who couldn't pay.
- Nationwide scholarships: To help exceptional African-American students.
- Better admission guidelines: To find students with the most potential to succeed.
- Focus on talent: To educate students by emphasizing their talents in research, teaching, and leadership, not just academics.
- Smaller classes: Taught by skilled professors, like those at Virginia Union.
- Proactive mentors: Professors should be leaders and mentors for gifted students.
Thompson's ideas for improving universities were not immediately accepted. However, as he gained more important roles, he slowly made progress in putting his ideas into action.
Key Contributions
Journal of Negro Education
In 1931, Charles Thompson decided to create the Journal of Negro Education. Before this, he often wrote articles for other papers, criticizing unfair education laws for African Americans. He wanted his own journal to bring more attention to these issues worldwide.
It was a challenging time to start a new journal because there were many budget cuts to African-American education. Some doubted the journal's importance, but others thought it would help bring national attention to Howard University.
Thompson's main reason for starting the journal was the lack of information about African-American education. He felt this made it hard to provide good schooling for people of color. He had four main reasons for creating the journal:
- To fill the lack of information about African Americans.
- To create a space for discussion about school segregation.
- To encourage more research into the lack of education for African Americans.
- To provide something that was truly needed at that time.
Thompson worked hard to make the journal happen despite the difficulties. He used careful language when talking to university leaders to get funding. But for his readers, he made bold statements about the unfairness in education for African Americans. He used the journal to share information about African-American culture, history, and arts.
He received support from important figures like W. E. B. Du Bois and Walter White (head of the NAACP). Thompson's main goal for the journal was to reduce unfairness in education and raise awareness about segregation.
The Sweatt Case
In 1944, many African Americans wanted to go to college, but there weren't enough resources, space, or staff to accept them all. This led to debates among people of color who wanted to attend universities that were only for white Americans at the time.
Thompson noticed this issue and wrote an article in The Journal of Negro Education. He criticized the government for not following the Gaines decision, which said that segregated schools should have equal access and resources.
An important case during Thompson’s time was Sweatt v. Painter. Thurgood Marshall, a famous lawyer, asked Thompson to be an expert witness in this case. The case was about a student named Heman Sweatt who wanted to attend a law school that was only for white Americans.
Thompson spent weeks preparing to testify. He visited the University of Texas School of Law to understand its environment. He compared the resources and opportunities for African Americans versus white Americans in Texas schools. This helped show the unfairness African Americans faced.
Not everyone agreed with Thompson’s views, and some argued his testimony was not relevant. However, his role in the case brought an important perspective on the unfairness against African Americans in education.
Achievements
- Dean of the College of Liberal Arts
- Dean of the Graduate School
- Founder & Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Negro Education
- Editorial Consultant for:
- The Nation's Schools
- World Book Encyclopedia
