Nolan E. Penn, PhD, was awarded an APA Presidential Citation in recognition of his remarkable seven decade career in psychology.
Born and raised in segregated Louisiana, Penn achieved academic success at a time when African-American men were not welcomed by the academy. Penn is a visionary, dedicated scholar, mentor and role model. He has opened doors, opened mind, and opened areas of academic inquiry. In 1969, Penn was the founding chair of the African-American studies department at the University of Wisconsin, then founding chair of the Urban and Rural Studies Program at the University of California, San Diego, where he also served as associate chancellor. He was also founding director of the Cross Cultural Research Team at Fielding Graduate University, where he taught and trained graduate students for over 30 years. Penn is a fellow of seven divisions of the American Psychological Association. His life and work is truly a significant part of the legacy upon which multicultural psychology stands.