Francis Cecil Sumner
Courtney Carter
Alabama A&M University, Huntsville, AL, USA

Abstract
Francis Sumner is wrote down in history as the “Father of Black Psychology”. This critique observes the early education of Sumner that was the building blocks to his success. His education and contributions to early psychology is discussed in this critique to show that whatever one puts their mind to can be achieved through commitment and hard work. Being an African American was already hard, but being a male paralyzed his education for a year. He had to enlist in the Army, but that did not change the young black man he was before all of that. Even after resigning, Sumner continued to contribute to psychology in order to pave the way for other African Americans. This critique notes his down falls and his up comings that made him who he was. KEY WORDS: African Americans, self-educated, PhD

The “Father of Black Psychology”: Francis Cecil Sumner Sumner was born December 7, 1895 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas where he received his elementary education. His parents, David and Lillian Sumner, withdrew him out of school after elementary school so he could be self-educated just like his father (Talmadge, 2001). In 1911, after enrolling in Lincoln University, he had to take a written entrance exam on the count of not having a high school diploma (Thomas, 2006). His hard work with the dedication of his parents paid off. From this moment on he never let anything stop him from achieving his goals. In 1918-1919, Thomas had to pause his educational journey and enlist in the United Sates Army. Sumner completed basic training in Camp Meade, Maryland with the 48th company, 154 Depot Brigade. Luckily, in 1919, Sumner was discharged from the United States Army so he could continue his education (Talmadge, 2001). Being away from his schooling for a year motivated him to be better