Na'im Akbar facts for kids

Na'im Akbar is a well-known clinical psychologist. He is famous for his Afrocentric approach to psychology. This means he looked at mental health from the viewpoint of African culture and history. Dr. Akbar is also a respected scholar, speaker, and author. He joined the field of Black psychology in the 1960s. This was when the Black Power Movement was growing strong.

In the 1970s, Dr. Akbar began to criticize traditional psychology. He felt it was too focused on European ideas. He argued that this way of thinking hurt African Americans. He believed it kept them from understanding their own mental health. Dr. Akbar focused much of his work on the mental health of African Americans.

About Na'im Akbar

Na’im Akbar was born Luther Benjamin Weems Jr. on April 26, 1944. His hometown was Tallahassee, Florida. He went to an all-Black school from kindergarten through high school. He finished high school in 1961. Both of his parents had gone to college. This was unusual for a Black family at that time. He grew up in a segregated community. But it was a special place where doing well in school was very important.

College Years

After high school, Akbar went to the University of Michigan. There, he earned his bachelor's, master's, and Ph.D. degrees. He studied clinical psychology. At Michigan, he learned about racial tensions for the first time. He became active in the Black Action Movement (BAM) strike. This strike closed the university for three weeks.

His experiences at Michigan made him question how psychology was taught. He started to think about a "Black Psychology." He wanted to change the way people thought about mental health. He felt the old ways did not fit Black people.

For his Ph.D., Akbar wrote about power themes. He looked at how Black and White people with certain mental health conditions thought about power. Through this work, he began to challenge common ideas about mental health for Black people. These ideas often came from European American psychology. This time was very important for his future work.

Career and Contributions

After getting his Ph.D., Akbar moved to Atlanta. He worked at Morehouse College, a historically Black college. He created and taught the first Black psychology course there. He later developed the college's first Black psychology program. After two years, he became the head of the Psychology Department.

Three years later, Akbar left Morehouse. He went to work for the Nation of Islam in Chicago. Around this time, he changed his name to Luther X. Later, he changed it again to Na’im Akbar. He joined the Muslim American Community. He became a special helper to Imam Warith Deen Mohammed. He also created the Office of Human Development.

After two years, he returned to teaching. He accepted a job at Norfolk State University. This is another historically Black university. As a professor there, he taught courses in Black psychology. Later, he moved back to his hometown. He became a professor at Florida State University. He continued to teach Black psychology.

In 1971, Akbar joined the Association of Black Psychologists (ABPsi). This is the largest group focused on Black mental health. He served on its board many times. He was also the president of ABPsi from 1987 to 1988. He helped edit the Journal of Black Studies and the Journal of Black Psychology.

Dr. Akbar retired from Florida State University in 2008. He wanted to focus on his own companies. He started Na’im Akbar Consultants and Mind Productions. He used these companies to share his ideas with more people. He has written many books and given many speeches. His main goal has been to create an African-centered approach to psychology. This means understanding mental health through the history and culture of African Americans. He also writes about African American families and cultural diversity.

Mental Health Views

In 1991, Dr. Akbar wrote a paper called "Mental Disorder Among African Americans." He continued his Afrocentric view of psychology. He said that traditional ideas about mental illness were often unfair to African Americans. He called this "intellectual oppression."

Akbar argued that African Americans should define "normal" and "abnormal" for themselves. These definitions should fit an African worldview. They needed to be meaningful to African American culture. He said that society often used the behaviors of the majority as "normal." This meant that any differences in behavior by African Americans might be seen as "insane." Akbar believed that cultural differences must be considered when looking at mental health.

Categories of Mental Illness

In his paper, Akbar described four types of mental illness among African Americans:

• The Alien-Self Disorder
• The Anti-Self Disorder
• The Self Destructive Disorders
• Organic Disorders

The "alien-self" disorder is when someone rejects their own natural self. They act in ways that hurt their own well-being. This person might focus too much on money or things. They might ignore the real problems of racism and unfairness. They try to live like they are part of the main group. But they end up not belonging to either group. This can lead to confusion and loneliness.

The "anti-self" disorder is similar. But these individuals actively have bad feelings about their own group. They want so much to be part of the main group. They take on its views, even if it hurts their own people. Akbar said this disorder is dangerous. People with it feel comfortable with their false identity. So, they are not likely to seek help. He believed this disorder was worse than the alien-self disorder.

"Self-destructive disorders" happen to people who are victims of unfair treatment. Unfairness is unnatural and harmful. It can push people away from reality. Those with these disorders try to survive in a difficult world. But they often fail and end up hurting themselves.

Organic disorders come from physical problems. These include issues with the brain or body chemistry. People with these disorders have severe mental problems. They are similar to conditions like schizophrenia. Akbar believed that a bad environment could also cause organic disorders. He said that unfair systems are a main cause of mental problems in the African American community. He felt that focusing only on physical causes ignored society's impact on mental health.

Akbar concluded that African Americans need their own definition of what is normal. Until then, they will remain under the power of the main community.

Identity and Self-Discovery

Dr. Akbar also looked at how African Americans develop their identity. He discussed ideas about how Black identity forms. He believed that a strong Black identity meant being comfortable with one's own racial group. He also thought that spirituality was key to understanding the Black personality.

Akbar suggested that identity could form from positive experiences. He gave the example of Malcolm X. Malcolm X's deeper understanding of himself came from spiritual change. This was a natural growth of his identity. Akbar felt this led to a more stable identity than one formed from negative experiences. He also mentioned W.E.B. Du Bois as another example.

Visions for Black Men

In his 1991 book, "Visions for Black Men," Akbar wrote about the importance of Black men. He wanted them to reach their full potential. He saw them as leaders in their homes and communities. The book aimed to help Black men worldwide. He wanted them to be self-reliant and fulfill their roles in society.

Akbar made a clear difference between being a male and being a man. To be a man, he said, means being aware of yourself and your actions. It means taking responsibility for what you do and don't do. He pointed to leaders like Marcus Garvey, Martin Luther King Jr., and Cheikh Anta Diop. He saw them as examples of Black men who led and brought about change.

"I'm trying to get you free"

In 2003, Akbar released a spoken word CD. It was called "I'm trying to get you free." He wanted to share his ideas with more people. When he said "I’m trying to get you free," he meant freedom of the mind for African Americans. One of his main beliefs was that true freedom for African Americans came from a shared cultural view. This view had to include their history and experiences.

On the CD, Akbar said things like, "We are a magical people." He also said, "We are not just Americans." And, "Don’t you know what we been through in this land?" He wanted to show that African Americans have a long and powerful history to be proud of.

Awards and Recognitions

Dr. Na’im Akbar has received many awards. He is a respected scholar, author, and speaker. He won the Distinguished Psychologist Award. This came from the National Association of Black Psychologists. He also received honorary doctorates from Edinboro University and Lincoln University.

Six major cities in the United States have named special days in his honor. He was also named a Development Chief in Ghana, West Africa. Dr. Akbar has served on the boards of many groups. This includes the National Association of Black Psychologists, where he was president. His work has been featured in newspapers and magazines. These include The Washington Post and Essence Magazine.