Inez Beverly Prosser was a psychologist, teacher, and school administrator who is often regarded as the first African-American woman to receive a Ph.D. in psychology[1]. She was born on December 30, 1895, in Texas and died on September 5, 1934[1]. Prosser was always drawn to education and psychology, and she studied educational psychology and racism[2]. Her work was very influential in the landmark Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court ruling[1].
Prosser began her college work at Prairie View A&M University, a historically black college northwest of Houston[3]. She finished her bachelor's degree at Samuel Huston College in Austin in 1926 and went on to earn a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Cincinnati in 1933[1]. Her dissertation, completed in 1933, was titled "The Non-Academic Development of Negro Children in Mixed and Segregated Schools"[4].
Despite facing many obstacles, Prosser's contributions to the field of psychology paved the way for future generations of Black female therapists and psychologists. Today, there are many Black female therapists who are making a positive impact on mental health in their communities.
Sources
[1] Inez Beverly Prosser - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inez_Beverly_Prosser
[2] Dr. Inez Beverly Prosser was the first Black woman to earn a Ph.D. in psychology - Association for Women in Science https://awis.org/historical-women/dr-inez-beverly-prosser/
[3] America's first black female psychologist - American Psychological Association https://www.apa.org/monitor/2008/11/prosser
[4] Inez Beverly Prosser and the education of African Americans - PubMed https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15635704/
[5] Doctor Inez Beverly Prosser (1897-1934) - University of Texas at Austin https://sites.utexas.edu/blackwomeninaustin/2020/12/10/doctor-inez-beverly-prosser-1897-1934/
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