Explore information about the new mural commissioned by the Psychology Diversity Advisory Committee, located in the Teaching Lab Building!
In 2023, the UNCW Psychology department commissioned a mural featuring 10 psychologists who reflect the diverse range of individuals who have made significant contributions to the field.
This mural, donated by the Kate and Isaac Brody Foundation, honors the memory of Dr. and Mrs. Charles and Ethel Brody. Charles Brody was an adult and child psychiatrist who dedicated his career to providing mental health services to diverse populations. Ethel Brody tutored children who had difficulties reading at a time before neurodiversity was widely acknowledged in schools.
Artist Stefan Smith (https://www.stefansmithart.com/, @stefansmith.art) completed the mural over the course of a week. His work uses murals to transform spaces and convert blank walls to art that represents the communities of people in those spaces.
A big thank you to the artist, Stefan Smith, and the Kate and Isaac Brody Foundation!
Dr. Kenneth Clark was an influential figure in the Civil Rights Movement and played a key role as an expert witness in the case of Brown v. Board of Education, which determined that State-sanctioned segregation of public schools was unconstitutional. Dr. Clark and his wife, Dr. Mamie Clark, were the first African Americans to earn doctoral degrees from Colombia University, studying the negative effects of segregation and racism on children. Some of his most famous work included the “Doll Study” which investigated racial identification by observing the responses of children when presented with white or brown dolls. Additionally, Dr. Kenneth Clark served as the first Black president of the American Psychology Association (APA).
Representative publications:
Clark, K. B., & Clark, M. P. (1950). Emotional factors in racial identification and preference in Negro children. Journal of Negro Education, 19(3), 341-350. https://doi.org/10.2307/2966491
Clark, K. B., & Clark, M. K. (1940). Skin color as a factor in racial identification of Negro preschool children. The Journal of Social Psychology, 11(1), 159-169. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.1940.9918741
Dr. Reiko True was committed to serving minoritized members of her community and making this the focus of her contributions in the field of Psychology. One way Dr. True showed her devotion to this cause was by helping to create the first mental health center in California for Asian Americans. Not only did Dr. True lead the center, but she also ensured cultural sensitivity of staff through training in Asian languages and cultures. Her initiative did not stop there: Dr. True continued to share the importance in creating multicultural focused programs, specifically for women and children.
Representative publications:
True, R. H. (2017). Feminist psychology and psychotherapy: A personal journey. Women & Therapy, 40(3-4), 427-441. https://doi.org/10.1080/02703149.2017.1241584
True, R. H. (1990). Psychotherapeutic issues with Asian American women. Sex Roles, 22, 477-486.
As the first Latina to earn a PhD in psychology in the United States, Dr. Martha Bernal contributed to the advancement of multicultural psychology and study of ethnic identity. Dr. Bernal’s work focused on shifting paradigms in the American Psychological Association and increasing opportunities and training for graduate students of color. Her leadership in the field led to the founding of the National Latino/a Psychological Association, previously called National Hispanic Psychological Association (NHPA).
Representative publications:
Bernal, M. E. & Castro, F. G. (1994). Are clinical psychologists prepared for service and research with ethnic minorities? Report of a decade of progress. American Psychologist, 49, 797-805.
Bernal, M. E., Knight, G. P., Garza, C. A., Ocampo, K. A., & Cota, M. K. (1990). The development of ethnic identity in Mexican-American children. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 12(1), 3-24. https://doi.org/10.1177/073998639001210
Marigold Linton was the first Native American to earn a PhD in Psychology. After earning her PhD, she continued to work in a college setting as a Professor and then later became the director of American Indian Outreach at University of Kansas. Here, she partnered with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to obtain over $13 million to support Native Americans in earning advanced degrees in various science programs. These efforts led to Dr. Linton becoming a founding member of the National Indian Education Association (NIEA).
Representative publications:
Linton, M. (2022). Against all odds: An American Indian creates a path. In J. Bookwala & Newton, N. J. (Eds.), Reflections from Pioneering Women in Psychology, (179-189). Cambridge University Press.
Linton, M. (1982) Transformations of memory in everyday life. In U. Neisser (Ed.), Memory observed: Remembering in natural contexts (pp.77-91). Freeman.
Dr. Robert Williams II was recognized by many for the advancement in understanding the experiences of African Americans when teaching Psychology. This advancement was preceded by the Black Intelligence Test of Cultural Homogeneity. Created by Dr. Williams, this test revealed that common intelligence tests show extreme cultural and racial biases. He also created the term “Ebonics” to refer to African American Vernacular English (AAVE) that was a tool utilized in his study of intelligence testing among cultures. Along with this line of research, Dr. Williams helped found the Association of Black Psychologist (ABP).
Representative publications:
Williams, R. L. (1973). On Black Intelligence. Journal of Black Studies, 4(1), 29–39. https://doi.org/10.1177/002193477300400104
Williams, R. L. (1972). The BITCH-100: A cultural specific test. St. Louis, MO: Williams & Associates, Inc.
Dr. Mamie Phipps Clark began her career at Howard University, where she received both her bachelor's and master's degree in psychology. Dr. Clark was the first African American woman to receive a doctoral degree from Colombia University. Her interest of study was in segregation’s role in the racial identities in African American children in integrated pre-schools. This work inspired the continued work of her partner, Dr. Kenneth Clark, looking at racial self-identification in the famous “Doll Study”. Dr. Clark served as an expert witness in desegregation cases of Brown v. Board of Education. Her testimony was influential in the Civil Rights movement, as well as in the contributions to the field of Psychology.
Representative publications:
Clark, K. B., & Clark, M. K. (1939). The development of consciousness of self and the emergence of racial identification in Negro preschool children. The Journal of social psychology, 10(4), 591-599. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.1939.9713394
Clark, K. B., & Clark, M. K. (1939). Segregation as a factor in the racial identification of Negro pre-school children. Journal of Experimental Education, 8, 161–163. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220973.1939.11010160
Dr. Francis Sumner is eminently known as the first African American to earn a PhD in Psychology. His academic pursuits were fixed in the understanding of racial biases, with a focus on mental health and educational justice. Dr. Sumner had the opportunity to work under Stanley Hall, the first president of the American Psychological Association, who served as his mentor at Clark University. In addition to his academic achievements, Sumner was among one of the founders of the psychology department at Howard University.
Representative publications
Sumner, F. C., & Shaed, D. L. (1945). Negro-white attitudes towards the administration of justice as affecting Negroes. Journal of Applied Psychology, 29(5), 368–377. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0063424
Sumner, F. C., & Sumner, F. H. (1931). The mental health of white and negro college students. The Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 26(1), 28–36. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0073651
Along with earning a doctorate degree and his service as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army, Dr. Joseph Awkard was a professor of psychology at both the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) and Florida A&M University. Joseph Awkard holds a record of service and leadership in the field of psychology. Notably, Dr. Joseph Awkard served as the president of the National Association of Black Psychologists. Dr. Awkard contributed to the advancement of psychology as an adviser on the American Psychology Association Committee on Equal Opportunity in Psychology, advocating for inclusivity and equality. His commitment to education extended to the involvement in the Congressional Task Force on Education of Exceptional Children.
Representative publications:
Puente, A. E., Awkard, J., Tesh, T., & Southard, D. (1986). Values of Psychology and Nonpsychology Majors. Psychological Reports, 59(2), 880–882. https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.1986.59.2.880
Wispé, L., Ash, P., Awkard, J., Hicks, L. H., Hoffman, M., & Porter, J. (1969). The Negro psychologist in America. The American Psychologist, 24(2), 142–150. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0027107
Dr. Andy Jackson’s career at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) spanned several decades, during which he served as the Department of Psychology Chair for 13 years. Having been a faculty member since 1973, Dr. Jackson’s dedication to academia is evident. He was one of the key members in developing the graduate program in Psychology at UNCW. Dr. Jackson’s professional journey has been marked by contributions to the field, with research interests in interpersonal relations, social cognitions, and mental health services. His involvement in key roles, such as a being an active member of the Department of Psychology Diversity Advisory Committee and service on the UNCW Diversity Counsil, displays his commitment to fostering diversity and inclusivity. He further served as the North Carolina Psychological Foundation’s President and later received the President's Award for his "outstanding public service contributions to the citizens of North Carolina".
Representative publications:
Noel, N. E., van Swearingen, K. M., Urch, M. A., Crews, F. S., Espinosa-Hernandez, G., McCool, M. W., & Jackson, L. A., Jr (2021). Alcohol and other substance use by faculty, staff, and students in a university community during two hurricanes: Lessons for preventing risky misuse. Journal of Community Psychology, 49(6), 1554–1567. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcop.22631
Noel, N. E., Maisto, S. A., Johnson, J. D., Jackson, L. A., Jr., Goings, C. D., & Hagman, B. T. (2008). Development and validation of videotaped scenarios: A method for targeting specific participant groups. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 23(4), 419–436. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260507312941
Dr. Tony Puente’s research looks at the role of culture in the field of neuropsychology. He has been a faculty member of the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) since 1981 and was the founding director of UNCW’s Centro Hispano. Dr. Tony Puente served as the 125th president of the American Psychological Association (APA) in 2017. As APA president, Dr. Puente tasked himself with expanding public action and ethnic diversity within the association. He further founded and edited several journals, served as the National Academy of Neuropsychology President, and founded Cape Fear Clinic, a free clinic in Wilmington, NC that is integral for community mental health and pharmacy services.
Representative publications:
Daugherty, J. C., Puente, A. E., Lozano-Ruiz, A., & Perez-Garcia, M. (2022). Cultural accommodations for cutoff scores of embedded performance validity tests in a Spanish college population. Applied Neuropsychology. Adult, 29(5), 1060–1067. https://doi.org/10.1080/23279095.2020.1846536
Puente, A. E. (2020). Greetings From the American Psychological Association Neuropsychology: Reaching a Promise Land for Psychology. Lurian Journal, 1(1), 18-19. https://doi.org/10.15826/Lurian.2020.1.1.3 УДК 616.89