S. Allen Counter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
S. Allen Counter
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| Born |
Samuel Allen Counter Jr.
July 8, 1944 |
| Died | July 12, 2017 (aged 73) Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Tennessee State University, Case Western University (PhD), Karolinska Institute (PhD) |
| Occupation | Neuroscientist, explorer, university administrator, author |
| Years active | 1970-2017 |
| Employer | Harvard University |
Samuel Allen Counter Jr. (born July 8, 1944 – died July 12, 2017) was a special professor at Harvard Medical School. He was also the first director of the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations. This foundation helps people from different backgrounds understand each other better. Dr. Counter was also a famous explorer and author.
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Early Life and Education
Samuel Allen Counter Jr. was born in Americus, Georgia. His mother, Anne, was a nurse. His father managed businesses but passed away when Samuel was young.
He grew up in Boynton Beach, a town in south Florida where Black and white people were kept separate. When he was very young, Samuel took part in a "swim-in" protest at a beach that was only for white people. This was part of the Civil Rights Movement.
Samuel studied biology and how our senses work at Tennessee State University. He then earned his first PhD in electrophysiology from Case Western University. Later, he earned another PhD from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden.
Career at Harvard
Dr. Counter joined Harvard University in 1970. He worked as a researcher and assistant neurophysiologist at Harvard Medical School. He also worked at Massachusetts General Hospital. As a neuroscientist, he studied nerves, muscles, and how we hear. He also helped diagnose brain injuries.
In 1970, the U.S. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare chose Dr. Counter to join a special council. This council advised the National Institute of Mental Health.
In 1981, Dr. Counter helped create the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations. He worked with Harvard's president and other leaders to start this important group. Dr. Counter became its first director and led it until he passed away in 2017. The foundation works to improve understanding and respect among people from different cultures and races.
Besides his work at Harvard, Dr. Counter was also a professor at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. He also served as Sweden's Consul General in Boston and New England. This meant he represented Sweden in that area.
Explorer and Author
Dr. Counter was also well-known for his adventures as an explorer. In 1971, he found a group of people living in the rainforests of northern Brazil, Suriname, and French Guiana. These people were descendants of African slaves who had escaped long ago.
In 1986, Dr. Counter found the Eskimo (Inuit) descendants of earlier U.S. explorers. These explorers were Matthew A. Henson and Robert E. Peary, who had traveled to the Arctic. Dr. Counter was chosen to join The Explorers Club in 1989. This is a famous club for people who explore the world.
Dr. Counter also designed a memorial for the famous tennis player Arthur Ashe. This memorial is at Woodland Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia. It was dedicated on what would have been Arthur Ashe's 50th birthday.
Awards and Honors
- In 2012, Dr. Counter was knighted by Carl XVI Gustaf, the King of Sweden. This is a very high honor.
- In 2013, Dr. Counter received the Lowell Thomas Award from The Explorers Club. This award recognizes explorers who act fairly and do the right thing during their explorations.
Books by Samuel Allen Counter Jr.
- I Sought My Brother: An Afro-American Reunion (1981) – This book was written with David L. Evans. It went along with a TV special they made for PBS.
- North Pole Legacy: Black, White and Eskimo (1991)
- North Pole Promise: Black, White, and Inuit Friends (2017)
