Alvin F. Poussaint
Encyclopedia
Alvin Francis Poussaint (born May 15, 1934 in New York City
) is a noted professor of psychiatry
at Harvard Medical School
, and the author of numerous books on child psychiatry, with a particular focus on the raising of African American
children.
in 1952. As a youth, he took ill with rheumatic fever, which left him unable to engage in the physical activities of his peers. The academic pursuits that characterized his early years led him to graduate from Columbia University
in 1956, acquire a M.D
from Cornell University
in 1960, and complete postgraduate training from the University of California, Los Angeles
, where he studied psychopharmacology
and served as Chief Resident in Psychiatry.
After his initial academic accomplishments, Poussaint took part in the civil rights movement, which solidified his notion that racism resides at the core of mental health problems in the black community. Later in life, Poussaint served as a consultant for The Cosby Show
and currently combines an advocacy for responsible media programming with his academic work.
Along with Bill Cosby
he co-authored the 2007 book Come On People: On the Path from Victims to Victors.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
) is a noted professor of psychiatry
Psychiatry
Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the study and treatment of mental disorders. These mental disorders include various affective, behavioural, cognitive and perceptual abnormalities...
at Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School is the graduate medical school of Harvard University. It is located in the Longwood Medical Area of the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts....
, and the author of numerous books on child psychiatry, with a particular focus on the raising of African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
children.
Biography
Poussaint was born in New York City's East Harlem neighborhood from Haitian immigrants, and graduated from Stuyvesant High SchoolStuyvesant High School
Stuyvesant High School , commonly referred to as Stuy , is a New York City public high school that specializes in mathematics and science. The school opened in 1904 on Manhattan's East Side and moved to a new building in Battery Park City in 1992. Stuyvesant is noted for its strong academic...
in 1952. As a youth, he took ill with rheumatic fever, which left him unable to engage in the physical activities of his peers. The academic pursuits that characterized his early years led him to graduate from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in 1956, acquire a M.D
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
from Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in 1960, and complete postgraduate training from the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
, where he studied psychopharmacology
Psychopharmacology
Psychopharmacology is the scientific study of the actions of drugs and their effects on mood, sensation, thinking, and behavior...
and served as Chief Resident in Psychiatry.
After his initial academic accomplishments, Poussaint took part in the civil rights movement, which solidified his notion that racism resides at the core of mental health problems in the black community. Later in life, Poussaint served as a consultant for The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992...
and currently combines an advocacy for responsible media programming with his academic work.
Along with Bill Cosby
Bill Cosby
William Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr. is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer, educator, musician and activist. A veteran stand-up performer, he got his start at various clubs, then landed a starring role in the 1960s action show, I Spy. He later starred in his own series, the...
he co-authored the 2007 book Come On People: On the Path from Victims to Victors.
External links
- Profile at Encyclopædia Britannica's Guide to Black History
- Alvin Poussaint's oral history video excerpts at The National Visionary Leadership Project