Biography of Dr. Na’im Akbar

Dr. Na’im Akbar

Born Luther Benjamin Weems, Jr. on April 26, 1944, Dr. Na’im Akbar was raised in Tallahassee, Florida. There, he lived in a complete Black American social environment. It was not until his freshman year of college that he first had contact with the White American race. In 1971, he changed his name after joining the nation of Islam. He attended the University of Michigan to receive his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Master of Arts (M.A.), and Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD.) in Psychology.

Careers Upon receiving his terminal degree, Akbar accepted the opportunity to work in the Psychology Department of Morehouse College of Atlanta, where he remained for five years. There, he instituted the college’s first Black Psychology course which eventually led to the development of the first Black Psychology program at any historically black college or university. After two years, he became chair of the psychology department. After, he relocated to Chicago, IL where he helped start the Office of Human Development at the Nation of Islam Headquarters. Later, he joined the faculty of Norfolk State University where he also instituted courses in Black Psychology. In 1979, he began teaching at Florida State University, where he still remains, teaching a specialized course on the psychology of the African American. In the 1980s, he independently started his own publishing company, Mind Productions, and a private consulting company, Na’im Akbar Consultants.

Memberships and Awards Since 1971, Akbar has been a member of the National Association of Black Psychologists, the largest black mental health organization in the world. He was elected president in 1987 and has received all the prestigious awards from them for all contributions to psychology. He was a member of the National