Dr. Clark and the CCNY Yearsdigital-archives.ccny.cuny.edu/exhibits/Clark/Clark_4.pdf · Dr. Clark...

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Dr. Clark and the CCNY Years The honorees at the 1992 Alumni Association Dinner: Standing (left to right) Alumni Association Executive Vice President Donald Jordan; honorees Michael Giannat- tassio (accepting for Phillip Garfinkel), Melvin Simon and Leroy Callender; Alumni Association President Peter Chin. Seated (left to right) Mrs. Phillip Garfinkel; honorees Marvin Kitman, Kenneth Clark, Irving Howe and Albert El- lis; CCNY President Augusta Souza Kappner. (Photo by Lisa Schwair) The Psychology Faculty as seen here in 1960: Standing (left to right) Prof. L. Plotkin, Prof. B. Zawad- ski, Prof. J. Barmark, Prof. G. Milton Smith, Prof. J. Wood- ruff, Prof. E. Hartley. Seated (left to right): Prof. A. Mintz, Prof. K. Clark, Prof. J. Peatman (Chairman), Prof. G. Schmeidler, Prof. M. Hertzman. (Photo courtesy of City College Archives, 1960 Microcosm) Professor Clark standing fourth from the left in the back row is pictured here in 1943 with his colleagues in the Psychology Department. (Photo courtesy of City College Archives, 1943 Microcosm) The Psychology Department faculty members in 1956 as seen here includ- ed: Seated (left to right): Prof. B. Zawadski, Prof. J. Barmack, Prof. J. Peatman (Chairman), Prof. J. Woodruff, Prof. Clark. Standing (left to right): Prof. Hartley, Mr. Staal, Prof. G. Milton Smith, Prof. L. Plotkin, Prof. Hertzman. (Photo courtesy City College Archives, 1956 Microcosm) Professor Kenneth B. Clark’s 35-year teaching career at the City College of New York was acknowledged by the City College Alumni Association with the presentation of the John H. Fin- ley Medal at the annual dinner in November 1992. This award, named for the third president of City College and presented by former New York City Mayor David Dinkins, salutes those who exemplify dedicated service to the community. Professor Clark joined the City College community in 1942, joining his gradu- ate studies mentor at Columbia University, Professor Gardner Murphy, as an Instructor in the Psychology Department. The department had recently separated from the Philosophy Depart- ment and moved into new quarters in Harris Hall. Since his time at the Office of War Information, Professor Clark was especially interested in perception theory, extra-sensory perception, racial bias and self-image. He earned tenure in 1960, the first African-American to earn this achievement. He became known to generations of City College students by teaching introductory psychology courses including Social Psycholo- gy and Physiological Psychology for many years as well as Developmental Psychology, Personal- ity in Childhood and Adolescence and Develop- mental Psychology; and Adult Personality. He occasionally interrupted his time in the City College classroom with visiting professorships at Queens College, Columbia University, and the University of California at Berkeley, and two sabbaticals, one in 1954 as he was preparing his findings on the effects of racial segrega- tion on African American children for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, and another about 20 years later. In 1964 he established the Social Dynamics Re- search Institute with Professor Larry Plot- kin, a research group at CCNY whose primary function was to study the processes of social change as they manifest themselves in actual community problems. As Professor Clark began to reflect on his retirement from the College in February 1975 he remembered with fondness his time in the classroom and commented: I think I was pretty rigid as a teacher. I had the responsibility of determining how we go about understanding this area. It was difficult for me to learn and it would be for my stu- dents. I didn’t have much tolerance for fads. I didn’t believe something was good just be- cause a student said it was good. On the other hand I have had some students in recent years who are going to think. Last year a student got onto a point and went to the li- brary, studied and we had knock-down drag-out arguments. It was wonderful. He got an A.¹ 1 Shepard, R. F. (1975, May 31). The New York Times. Alumni Association President Pe- ter Chin and former New York City Mayor David Dinkins flank Profes- sor Kenneth Clark holding his John H. Finley Award. When May- or Dinkins presented the Finley Award he commented: “Going on to become a pioneer in the field of child development, Ken dedicated his life to fighting for a coun- try free of racism, segregation, and hatred. Long a champion of civil rights, his landmark study on segregation, cited by the Su- preme Court in the Brown v. Board of Education ruling, helped lead to integration in our schools throughout the country, and trig- gered sweeping reforms right here at home, in the New York City public schools.” (Photo by Lisa Schwair) 3. Professor Clark teaching at City College in the early 1960s. (Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress) 2. Professor Clark lecturing to his psychology students in the 1950s. (Photo courtesy of City College Archives) 1. Professor Clark with one of his City College students in 1944. (Photo courtesy of City College Archives) 3. 1. 2.

Transcript of Dr. Clark and the CCNY Yearsdigital-archives.ccny.cuny.edu/exhibits/Clark/Clark_4.pdf · Dr. Clark...

Page 1: Dr. Clark and the CCNY Yearsdigital-archives.ccny.cuny.edu/exhibits/Clark/Clark_4.pdf · Dr. Clark and the CCNY Years The honorees at the 1992 Alumni Association Dinner: Standing

Dr. Clark and the CCNY Years

The honorees at the 1992 Alumni Association Dinner: Standing (left to right) Alumni Association Executive Vice President Donald Jordan; honorees Michael Giannat-tassio (accepting for Phillip Garfinkel), Melvin Simon and Leroy Callender; Alumni Association President Peter Chin.Seated (left to right) Mrs. Phillip Garfinkel; honorees Marvin Kitman, Kenneth Clark, Irving Howe and Albert El-lis; CCNY President Augusta Souza Kappner.(Photo by Lisa Schwair)

The Psychology Faculty as seen here in 1960: Standing (left to right) Prof. L. Plotkin, Prof. B. Zawad-ski, Prof. J. Barmark, Prof. G. Milton Smith, Prof. J. Wood-ruff, Prof. E. Hartley. Seated (left to right): Prof. A. Mintz, Prof. K. Clark, Prof. J. Peatman (Chairman), Prof. G. Schmeidler, Prof. M. Hertzman.(Photo courtesy of City College Archives, 1960 Microcosm)

Professor Clark standing fourth from the left in the back row is pictured here in 1943 with his colleagues in the Psychology Department. (Photo courtesy of City College Archives, 1943 Microcosm)

The Psychology Department faculty members in 1956 as seen here includ-ed: Seated (left to right): Prof. B. Zawadski, Prof. J. Barmack, Prof. J. Peatman (Chairman), Prof. J. Woodruff, Prof. Clark. Standing (left to right): Prof. Hartley, Mr. Staal, Prof. G. Milton Smith, Prof. L. Plotkin, Prof. Hertzman.(Photo courtesy City College Archives, 1956 Microcosm)

Professor Kenneth B. Clark’s 35-year teaching career at the City College of New York was acknowledged by the City College Alumni Association with the presentation of the John H. Fin-ley Medal at the annual dinner in November 1992. This award, named for the third president of City College and presented by former New York City Mayor David Dinkins, salutes those who exemplify dedicated service to the community. Professor Clark joined the City College community in 1942, joining his gradu-ate studies mentor at Columbia University, Professor Gardner Murphy, as an Instructor in the Psychology Department. The department had recently separated from the Philosophy Depart-ment and moved into new quarters in Harris Hall.

Since his time at the Office of War Information, Professor Clark was especially interested in perception theory, extra-sensory perception, racial bias and self-image. He earned tenure in 1960, the first African-American to earn this achievement. He became known to generations of City College students by teaching introductory psychology courses including Social Psycholo-gy and Physiological Psychology for many years as well as Developmental Psychology, Personal-ity in Childhood and Adolescence and Develop-mental Psychology; and Adult Personality. He occasionally interrupted his time in the City College classroom with visiting professorships

at Queens College, Columbia University, and the University of California at Berkeley, and two sabbaticals, one in 1954 as he was preparing his findings on the effects of racial segrega-tion on African American children for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, and another about 20 years later.

In 1964 he established the Social Dynamics Re-search Institute with Professor Larry Plot-kin, a research group at CCNY whose primary function was to study the processes of social change as they manifest themselves in actual community problems. As Professor Clark began to reflect on his retirement from the College in February 1975 he remembered with fondness his time in the classroom and commented:

I think I was pretty rigid as a teacher. I had the responsibility of determining how we go about understanding this area. It was difficult for me to learn and it would be for my stu-dents. I didn’t have much tolerance for fads. I didn’t believe something was good just be-cause a student said it was good.

On the other hand I have had some students in recent years who are going to think. Last year a student got onto a point and went to the li-brary, studied and we had knock-down drag-out arguments. It was wonderful. He got an A.¹

1 Shepard, R. F. (1975, May 31). The New York Times.

Alumni Association President Pe-ter Chin and former New York City Mayor David Dinkins flank Profes-sor Kenneth Clark holding his John H. Finley Award. When May-or Dinkins presented the Finley Award he commented: “Going on to become a pioneer in the field of child development, Ken dedicated his life to fighting for a coun-try free of racism, segregation, and hatred. Long a champion of civil rights, his landmark study on segregation, cited by the Su-preme Court in the Brown v. Board of Education ruling, helped lead to integration in our schools throughout the country, and trig-gered sweeping reforms right here at home, in the New York City public schools.” (Photo by Lisa Schwair)

3. Professor Clark teaching at City College in the early 1960s.(Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress)

2. Professor Clark lecturing to his psychology students in the 1950s.(Photo courtesy of City College Archives)

1. Professor Clark with one of his City College students in 1944.(Photo courtesy of City College Archives)

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