Francis Sumner facts for kids

Francis Cecil Sumner (born December 7, 1895 – died January 11, 1954) was an important American leader in changing how education worked. Many people call him the "Father of Black Psychology." He is famous for being the first African American to earn a Ph.D. (a very high university degree) in psychology in 1920. He worked closely with a professor named G. Stanley Hall at Clark University. His main research paper, called a dissertation, was about "Psychoanalysis of Freud and Adler."

Growing Up and Learning

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. He had an older brother named Eugene. Francis went to elementary schools in Norfolk, Virginia, and Plainfield, New Jersey.

His parents were worried about the poor quality of schools for African Americans at that time. So, they worked very hard to give Francis books and other learning materials. They encouraged him to teach himself, just as they had done. His parents created his schoolwork and watched his progress. Francis never went to a formal high school.

When Sumner applied to colleges, his applications said he had "private instruction in secondary subjects by father." Since he didn't have a high school diploma, he had to take a test to get into Lincoln College. This college, now called Lincoln University, was the first school mainly for African Americans in the United States. Sumner passed the test and was accepted in 1911 when he was just 15 years old.

University Education

Sumner did very well at Lincoln College. He graduated in 1915 as the best student in his class. He earned high honors in philosophy, English, Modern Languages, and Greek.

In 1916, Sumner went to Clark University. There, he earned his second Bachelor's Degree in English. At Clark, he formed a special relationship with the university's president, G. Stanley Hall. Hall became his mentor, guiding and encouraging Sumner and many other African-American students.

Sumner returned to Lincoln University to teach and continue his studies. He taught religious studies, psychology, philosophy, and German. During this time, he decided he wanted to study psychology even more. He stayed in touch with Hall, asking for help to get a scholarship to study "race psychology" at Clark University. This became his main focus: understanding and stopping unfairness based on race in the justice system.

In 1917, Sumner went back to Clark University with a scholarship. Hall approved his plan to get a Ph.D. in psychology. However, his education was paused in 1918 when he was drafted into the U.S. Military. He was sent to Camp Meade, Maryland, for training and then to Germany for battle.

While in Germany, Sumner kept writing to his mentor, G. Stanley Hall. He asked to be considered for his Ph.D. again when he returned. Sumner stayed in France until he was discharged in mid-1919. His main research paper, "Psychoanalysis of Freud and Adler," was accepted. On June 14, 1920, he received his Ph.D. from Clark University. This made him the first African American to earn a Ph.D. in psychology.

Career in Psychology

Sumner's main goal was to show that ideas claiming African Americans were less intelligent were wrong. He wanted to challenge the way psychology was often taught, which focused only on European ideas.

In 1920, Sumner became a professor of psychology and philosophy at Wilberforce University. In 1921, he taught at Southern University in Louisiana, which is a Historically Black College or University (HBCU). Later that year, he accepted a job at West Virginia Collegiate Institute. There, he wrote many articles about the state of colleges and the lack of acceptance for African Americans. He used these articles to support the ideas of famous leaders like Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois.

Sumner stayed at West Virginia Collegiate Institute for seven years. However, he struggled to get money for his research. He believed that unfairness based on race prevented him and other African American scientists from getting funding. White research groups often refused to give him money.

From 1928 until his death in 1954, Sumner led the psychology department at Howard University. He, along with Max Meenes and Frederick P. Watts, helped build up the psychology department there. He also taught Kenneth B. Clark, a social psychologist who became very important in the Civil Rights Movement. Sumner believed that psychology should be its own field, separate from philosophy and education.

Sumner left West Virginia Collegiate Institute on August 31, 1928. He then moved to Howard University in the fall of 1928. He became the acting head of the psychology department and a professor. By 1930, he was officially the chairman and successfully made the department independent from philosophy. Sumner held this important position until he passed away on January 12, 1954.

To show his support for his students, Sumner created a special award. This award was given to a psychology student who wrote the best essay on a certain topic. One student who received this award was Kenneth Bancroft Clark. Kenneth Clark later became the first African American president of the American Psychological Association (APA).

Sumner published at least 45 articles and papers during his career. He was very interested in how psychology could be used in real life. He wrote many papers about color and vision. He also focused on the psychology of religion. He gave a presentation called "The Mental Hygiene of Religion" at an international meeting. Sumner was one of the first scholars to connect psychology, religion, and the justice system.

Another important achievement was his work with the Journal of Social Psychology and the Psychological Bulletin. For many years, he wrote summaries (abstracts) for both journals. He started in 1946 and wrote over 2,000 abstracts in total. Most of these summaries were from French and German authors, but he also summarized works from Russian, Spanish, and English authors.

People who knew Sumner described him as someone who motivated and encouraged others. Kenneth Clark once said that Sumner "didn't just teach psychology. He taught integrity." Clark also said that Sumner believed there was no such thing as "Black Psychology," just as there wasn't "Black astronomy." Clark saw Sumner as a role model and a standard for how he evaluated himself.

Awards and Memberships

Sumner was a member of many important groups. These included the American Psychological Association, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the American Educational Research Association. He was also part of fraternal organizations like Psi Chi, Pi Gamma Mu, and Kappa Alpha Psi. He wrote several articles for the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity's journal.

Publications

• Psychoanalysis of Freud and Adler (1922)

Fighting Discrimination

Throughout his life and career, Francis Sumner faced racism and unfair treatment. He was a pioneer in the field of "race psychology." He created a foundation for future research on this topic. His work challenged many psychologists' ideas about race. Sumner studied many topics, including differences in mental health between white and black people. He also looked at how African Americans viewed the justice system.

In 1939, Sumner applied to join the Southern Society for Philosophy and Psychology (SSPP). He had the necessary support from two current members and was already a member of the American Psychological Association (APA). When the SSPP received his application, its council changed its rules to try and stop him from joining. Many members disagreed with this and threatened to quit if Sumner was denied.

After Sumner's application was finally approved, some members gave different reasons for the delay. One reason blamed the secretaries. However, records showed that there was concern that more African American applicants would follow if Sumner was allowed to join. Today, the SSPP supports having African American members.

Views on Education for African Americans

Sumner's scientific work was excellent, but his biggest impact came from his efforts to build and improve education for African Americans. He strongly supported African American education. He pushed for more money for African American schools and teachers. He taught at Howard University for over thirty years.

In 1926, Sumner believed that African American culture was "younger." He felt it was only a few hundred years removed from a less developed state and less than a century from slavery. In contrast, he saw white culture as a peak of Western Civilization. Because of this, he thought there were many problems with how African Americans were taught.

Sharing similar ideas with Booker T. Washington, Sumner stressed that education needed to be made special for African Americans. His goal was to help African Americans improve their culture. He emphasized the importance of learning practical skills like carpentry and plumbing. Sumner also supported the ideas of another African American scientist, G.V. Cools. Cools believed it was important to build good character in young African Americans through education.

Sumner also said that white historians were unfair because they left out important parts of Black history from their writings. He believed that some Black youths were ready for a higher, more general education. For these few, he thought it would be best to study at colleges or universities specifically for African Americans. Sumner's views on "Negro Education" drew attention and criticism. Groups like the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) were worried that Sumner was supporting education systems that would always be separate.

Personal Life and Passing

Sumner married Francees H. Hughston in 1922, but they later divorced. He then married Nettie M. Broker in 1946. He did not have any children.

Francis Sumner died from a heart attack on January 11, 1954, while shoveling snow outside his home in Washington D.C. He received a military honor guard at his funeral to remember his service during World War I. Sumner was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. Many students described Dr. Sumner as "low key and very dedicated." They also remembered him as a quiet, humble, and brilliant person who was "Howard's most stimulating scholar."