Title:
Beyond the margins: the contributions of black women to the practice of psychology in schools
Author:
Sonja Davenport Hamilton
Thesis Advisor:
Evelyn Spratt
Committee Member:
Amy Rosenkrans
Committee Member:
Erin Gouldin
Degree Granting Institution:
Notre Dame of Maryland University--School of Education
Place:
Baltimore (Md.)
Publisher:
Notre Dame of Maryland University
Date Created:
2026
Type of Resource:
text
Genre:
thesis
Language:
eng
Format:
application/pdf
Physical Form:
electronic
Digital Source:
born digital
Abstract:
Inez Beverly Prosser, Ruth Winifred Howard, Alberta Banner Turner, and Olivia Juliette Hooker were pioneering psychologists whose scholarship and professional practices advanced equity-centered, culturally responsive approaches in education and mental health. Working within and against the constraints of systemically racist structures, each woman leveraged her expertise and lived experience to challenge exclusionary norms, either implicitly through scholarship or explicitly through action, to advocate for the needs of Black children and families. Their contributions shaped early models of culturally grounded care, emphasizing the importance of affirming identity, contextualizing behavior within social conditions, and addressing structural inequities that affect learning and development. Collectively, their efforts established a powerful blueprint for contemporary school-based and clinical practitioners committed to equity-centered, culturally responsive practice. Primary sources from autobiographical accounts, family communications, newspaper articles, archives, and oral histories are used to analyze each psychologist's background, impact on their communities, and approach to serving others. By integrating rigorous scholarship with community-rooted insight, these Black psychologists demonstrated how culturally attuned approaches can transform educational and psychological support systems and their methods are still applicable today. Their legacy extends beyond scholarly endeavors, and continues to inform modern frameworks that prioritize belonging, justice, and the holistic well-being of diverse populations.
Degree:
Doctor of Philosophy
Level:
Doctoral
Discipline:
Instructional Leadership for Changing Populations
Restrictions on Access:
Author has given permission to make this work available online.
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Identifier:
HamiltonSD-26
