Jessica Henderson Daniel facts for kids

Jessica Henderson Daniel is a very important psychologist and teacher. She is known for her work helping people with their mental health, especially in the Black community. She also studied how stress and violence affect Black children and teenagers.

Dr. Daniel made history by becoming the first African American woman to lead the American Psychological Association (APA). She was the president of this big organization in 2018. She also taught at Harvard Medical School and directed psychology training at Boston Children's Hospital.

Amazing Awards and Honors

Dr. Daniel has received many special awards for her important work. In 1998, she was the first person of color, the first woman, and the first psychologist to win the A. Clifford Barger Excellence in Mentoring Award from Harvard Medical School. This award recognized her great work in guiding and supporting others.

In 2021, she received the American Psychological Association Award for Outstanding Lifetime Contributions. This award celebrates her amazing work throughout her career.

Other honors she received include:

• The Kenneth and Mamie Clark Award in 1999.
• The University of Illinois Distinguished Alumni Award in 2001.
• The APA Distinguished Contributions to Education and Training Award in 2002.
• The APA Committee on Women in Psychology, Distinguished Leader for Women in Psychology Award in 2008.
• The Elizabeth Hurlock Beckman Trust Award in 2012.
• The APA Division 45 Asunción Miteria Austria and John Robinson Distinguished Mentoring Award in 2014.

There is even an award named after her! The Society for the Psychology of Women gives out the Strickland-Daniel Mentoring Award every year. It honors great mentors like Dr. Daniel and Bonnie Strickland.

Her Life Story

Jessica Henderson Daniel was born in San Antonio, TX. Her father was an Air Force crew chief, and her mother helped start a local chapter of the NAACP. Because her family moved often, Dr. Daniel had the chance to learn about many different cultures.

She went to Fayetteville State College (now Fayetteville State University). She graduated with top honors in History in 1964. Later, she studied at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She earned her master's degree in 1967 and her PhD in Education in 1969.

Her studies happened during important times in American history, like the desegregation movement and the Black power movement. Her research looked at why Black graduate students chose to work in Black or White communities. In 1970, Dr. Daniel joined Harvard Medical School. She stayed there throughout her career, helping and guiding students of color.

Important Writings

Dr. Daniel has written many important articles and papers. Here are a few examples:

• Daniel, J. H. (2000). The courage to hear: African American women's memories of racial trauma. This paper talks about the difficult experiences of racial trauma for African American women.
• Daniel, Jessica Henderson (June 2009). "Next generation: A mentoring program for black female psychologists.". Professional Psychology: Research and Practice 40 (3): 299–305. doi:10.1037/a0013891. ProQuest 614503430. This article describes a program designed to mentor and support young Black female psychologists.
• Daniel, Jessica Henderson; Roysircar, Gargi; Abeles; Boyd (July 2004). "Individual and cultural-diversity competency: Focus on the therapist". Journal of Clinical Psychology 60 (7): 755–770. doi:10.1002/jclp.20014. PMID 15195338. INIST:15894464. This paper discusses how important it is for therapists to understand different cultures and individual needs.