An educational psychologist who was one of the first African Americans to earn a doctorate in psychology
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Dr. Beckham, an educational psychologist, was one of the first African Americans to earn a PhD in psychology. He was the first professor to teach psychology at Howard University, and later worked as a school psychologist in the Chicago Public Schools.
Dr. Beckham’s research focused on education, and in particular using scientific research to fight against discrimination of African American children. His work examined strategies for reducing racial inequality in education as well as stereotypes that contributed to bias in the juvenile delinquency system.
Beckham, A. S. (1932). Race and intelligence. Opportunity, 10(8), 240–242.
Beckham, A. S. (1933). Over-suggestibility in juvenile delinquency. The Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 28(2), 172–178. https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/h0070124opens in new window
Beckham, A. S. (1933). A study of the intelligence of colored adolescents of different social-economic status in typical metropolitan areas. The Journal of Social Psychology, 4(1), 70–91. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224545.1933.9921558opens in new window
Race, Cognition, Intelligence Testing, Bias, Development
The development of resources to broaden diversity and representation in the teaching of high school psychology resources is an APA Committee of Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools initiative supported by funding from the American Psychological Foundation David and Carol Myers Fund. This resource was developed by Eric Castro, Shawn C.T. Jones, PhD, Allyn Olsen, and Catherine Sanderson, PhD.