Edmund Gordon facts for kids

Edmund Wyatt Gordon (born June 13, 1921) is a famous American psychologist and professor. He is known for his important work in African-American studies. In 2011, he received the John Hope Franklin Award for his contributions. Some of his biggest influences were Herbert G. Birch, W. E. B. Du Bois, and Alain LeRoy Locke.

Early Life and Education

Edmund Gordon was born in 1921 in Goldsboro, North Carolina. At that time, the town was segregated, meaning Black and white people were kept separate. His father came from Jamaica and became a doctor. His mother was an elementary school teacher. Even though segregation was strict, Gordon's family had a special privilege. Because his father was a respected doctor, they could shop in a department store on Wednesday afternoons.

Gordon studied at several universities. He earned his bachelor's degree in Zoology and Social Ethics from Howard University. He then received a Master of Arts degree in Social Psychology from American University. Later, he earned his Doctor of Education degree in child development from Teachers College, Columbia University. He also received honorary degrees from Yale University, Yeshiva University, and Brown University.

Research and Ideas

Gordon's research has focused on helping students who face challenges. This includes African-American students, ethnic minority students, and those from low-income families. He studied how these students could succeed despite tough situations.

He is well-known for his ideas on how different people learn and how to teach them. His work includes important concepts like:

• The Achievement Gap: This refers to the differences in academic success between different groups of students. Gordon's work aims to close this gap.
• Affirmative Development of Academic Ability: This idea focuses on actively helping students build their learning skills.
• Supplementary Education: This involves extra support and learning opportunities to improve academic results.

Gordon has written over 200 articles and 18 books. These publications all focus on improving how diverse learners achieve in school.

Important Mentors

Gordon credits three mentors who greatly influenced his studies:

• Alain LeRoy Locke: When Gordon was struggling at Howard University, Locke encouraged him. Gordon says Locke helped him become a serious scholar.
• Herbert G. Birch: Birch was a research psychologist. He inspired Gordon to spend a lot of time reading and learning in the library.
• W. E. B. Du Bois: Du Bois was a famous author, activist, and co-founder of the NAACP. He suggested Gordon study how many minority students succeed despite major difficulties.

Professional Journey

Edmund Gordon has had a long and impactful career.

Working with Head Start

Gordon worked with colleagues at Stanford University who were involved in President John F. Kennedy's social change efforts. After Kennedy's death, President Lyndon Johnson took over. Gordon was given the job of evaluating the Head Start program. This program helps young children from low-income families get ready for school.

Gordon believes Head Start has been a success from a government point of view. However, he felt it could have done even more. He and his colleagues saw the program as a way to improve not just children's lives, but also the lives of their families and communities. While this bigger dream for Head Start hasn't fully happened, he still sees the program as a success.

Leadership and Teaching Roles

From 2000 to 2001, Gordon was the Vice President of Academic Affairs at Teachers College, Columbia University. He is now a professor emeritus (retired but still honored) at Yale University. He is also a professor at Teachers College, Columbia University.

He founded two important institutes:

• The Institute for Urban and Minority Education.
• The Institute for Research on African Diaspora in the Americas and Caribbean (IRADAC) at the City College of New York.

In 2006, he became a Senior Scholar in Residence at SUNY Rockland Community College, a role he held for many years. In 2003, the Educational Testing Service created a special position in his honor.

Awards and Recognition

Gordon has received many honors for his work:

• In 1968, he was elected to the National Academy of Education.
• In 2005, Columbia University named its campus in Harlem, NY, the Edmund W. Gordon Campus of Teachers College, Columbia University.
• In 2010, he received the "Relating Research to Practice Award" from the American Educational Research Association (AERA).
• In 2017, he was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
• In 2021, he was named Honorary President of the American Educational Research Association (AERA). He was the first person to receive this special recognition in the organization's history.

In 2014, a building at the University of Texas System was named the Gordon-White Building. This honored both Edmund Gordon and his wife, Susan Gitt Gordon.

Personal Life

Edmund Gordon was married to Susan Gitt, a pediatrician, from 1948 until she passed away in 2016. They had four children, nine grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren. One of their daughters is Jessica Gordon Nembhard.

In 2000, Edmund and Susan Gordon co-founded The CEJJES Institute in Pomona, New York. This institute helps the African diaspora, which refers to people of African descent living outside of Africa.

In 1967, Gordon bought the land where W. E. B. Du Bois's childhood home once stood. This site later became a landmark in 1987.

Edmund Gordon turned 100 years old in 2021.