Transcript Black Psychiatrist and American Psychiatry

By: Christopher Howell
BLACK PSYCHIATRIST AND AMERICAN
PSYCHIATRY
SOLOMON CARTER FULLER (1872-1953)





Identified as the first black psychiatrist in the United States.
Born in Liberia to previously enslaved Africans who
purchased their freedom and emigrated to the United States.
Attended and graduated from Livingston College in Salisbury,
North Carolina.
Received his M.D. from Boston University School of Medicine
in 1897.
According to Charles Pinderhughes, Fuller received his
psychiatric training at Boston University, Long Island College
Hospital, and Westborough States Hospital between 18971901.
FULLER (CONT.)

Pursued further post graduate
medical training at University of
Munich, Germany.

Upon returning to the US, he
did groundbreaking research in
Alzheimer's Disease.

Went on to teach at Boston
University for more than 30
years. He retired as an
educator.
RAPHAEL HERNANDEZ, M.D.





1928 graduate of Meharry Medical College
Became certified in psychiatry and neurology at Mason General
Hospital in New York and Hines VA Hospital in Illinois.
Hernandez was the Chief of Neurology Services at VA Hospital
in San Juan (‘47-’54) and Tuskegee VA Hospital (‘54-’56).
In 1960, became director of the Negro section of VA Hospital in
Murfreesboro, TN.
To gain the position, Hernandez needed letters of
recommendation from his white colleagues to American
Psychiatry Association, who expressed in their letters the need
of a minority leader in their workplaces because of the racism
that existed.
DR. ERNEST Y. WILLIAMS
Founded the department of psychiatry and
neurology at Howard Medical School in 1940.
 His medical career started at Howard, he was a
medical student from 1926-1930.
 Able to do rotations at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in
Washington, D.C.
 His ability to interact with patients in the psych
ward won him a 2 yr. fellowship to Columbia
University College of Physicians and Surgeons.
Became head of Psychology Department in 1952.

CHARLES PRUDHOMME, M.D

Very first black psychoanalyst

Well known because he has a lot
of firsts under his belt: First
black psychiatrist appointed to a
Mental Health Commission.

Interesting fact! Known for
fighting for desegregation of
schools; he was the individual
who went to the APA to gain
support for overturning school
segregation.
THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT

Charles Wilkinson, M.D was the driving force behind
involving Black psychiatrists in the Civil Rights
Movement.

He created a small group of psychiatrists that
scrutinized the effects of the Civil Rights Movement on
the mental health of Black Americans.

From this group, the Black Psychiatrists of America,
BPA, was formed.
THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT (CONT.)

Numerous publications discussed the impact of
racism on Black Americans (Harrison & Butts ‘70,
Jones ‘70, Pinderhughes ‘66, ‘68, ‘69, and Spurlocke
’73)

Each of these publications focused on specific issues,
for example, Jones’ work focused on Black students
in white programs.
BLACK PSYCHIATRISTS OF AMERICA

Established in May of 1969.

The first chairman and vice chairman were
Chester Price and Alfred Cannon.

When compiling their list of goals for the BPA,
members focused on the involvement of Black
psychiatrists in the deliberations of the APA
DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY AT MEHARRY
MEDICAL COLLEGE

Prior to its development, there were no psychiatric
services at Meharry.

The push for a psychiatry department came from
Robert S. Anderson, director of the Department of
Medicine.

Surprisingly, he was met with a lot of professional
pushback. Many faculty members wondered if the
department was relevant. Many patients were
skeptical; they chalked up their problems to stress,
and sometimes the supernatural.
DEPT. OF PSYCHIATRY (CONT.)

Dr. Knight Aldrich, head of psychiatry @ U of Chicago, and Anderson decided
to groom a Black psychiatric resident to head the new department.

Lloyd C. Elam wanted to involve himself with history-making events and
started in the position in 1961; he had support from the staff at Meharry.

Their biggest change was the curriculum. There were lectures on psychology
before the department was created, but they were focused on personality, and
sociological aspects affecting mental illness.

Elam wanted to equip his students with the knowledge necessary to deal with
non-white, middle class patients. Meharry wanted to make sure their students
were able to help all socioeconomic levels.

Faculty members stepped up as full time teachers: Henry Thomas, Evelyn
Kennedy, Ralph Hines, and Raphael Hernandez.
RECRUITMENT

Black psychiatrists became heavily involved in the
recruitment of minority medical students in the 1960s.

Black psychiatrists found that they needed to obtain
leadership positions to not only influence the recruitment of
minority medical students, but also to help recruit future
black psychiatrists.

Dr. Alvin Puissant and Dr. James Comer (Dean of Students @
Harvard University and Associate Dean @ Yale University).

In those positions, and as black psychiatrists, they were able
to address a multitude of issues that went overlooked in the
recruitment of minority medical students (negotiating college
life, active discouragement, racism, etc).
RECRUITING (CONT.)

Solomon Carter Fuller Fellowship was started by Robert
Sharply. This appealed to many minority medical
students because it opened the door for many black
medical students to have access to residency
opportunities all over the United States.

1974, American Psychiatric Association and National
Institute of Mental Health allowed and funded minority
students to attend their meetings. The students gained
knowledge of navigating the profession, the professional
organizations associated with psychiatry, and also the
organization gained a larger minority perspective that
was underrepresented at their meetings.
MILITARY PSYCHIATRY

In the 1960s, the armed forces began training Black
American psychiatrists to careers as military psychiatrists.

But what about before that?

There are no official records that identify military
psychiatrists by race or ethnicity. However, through verbal
testimonies and the membership directories of the American
Psychiatric Association, around two dozen black American
psychiatrists can be identified as having served in one of the
braches of the military.

First known were: Drs. Leo Oxley, Jay Randall Henry Edwards,
James Collins, Thomas Gueydan.
BLACK FACULTY

No extensive records exist that go into detail
about specific black faculty members in the
departments of psychiatry.

However, it’s obvious that a professional
sacrifice had to be made for the sake of
academia and teaching, rather than pursuing a
private practice medical career.
WORKS CITED

Spurlock, Jeanne. Black Psychiatrists and American
Psychiatry. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric
Association, 1999.

"Ernest Williams, 90, Psychiatry Professor." The New
York Times [New York] 17 Feb. 1990: n. pag. Print.

"Solomon Carter Fuller." Wikipedia. Wikimedia
Foundation, 25 Apr. 2013. Web. 30 Apr. 2013.