Question

During the mid and later decades of the twentieth century, the perspectives and contributions of people of color were introduced. For the fields of history, sociology and psychology, identify two (2) black scholars who made an impact in their respective fields. Discuss in detail their particular subfield/area of research and explain how they shaped the field.

Answer 1

The eminent Black scholars who studied the race and color bias present in the American society includes the names of Charles S Johnson, E Franklin Frazier and Oliver Cromwell Cox. They made significant contributions in the study of the racial discrimination and the effect of skin color leading to racial humiliation and race prejudice in the society.The details of their contributions is discussed in the passage. The contributions were:

• Charles S Johnson- He was an American sociologist and the first American Black president of Fisk University. He worked as a researcher for the urban league for the welfare of the organization. His publication topic was : The Negro in Chicago: A study of race relations and race riot. He studied the different social and economic factors which caused the structural racial oppression in the society. His other prominent publication works include The Negro in American civilization in 1930, Shadow of Plantation in 1934, and Growing up in the Black Belt in 1940.
• E Franklin Frazier was born in Baltimore, Maryland. H earned a PhD in sociology at University of Chicago. His teaching classes were obstructed by a group of white men who protested against his writings in which he wrote about racial and color segregation in USA. His publication title including work of racial prejudice was titled " The Pathology of racial prejudice". His other important works include the following like The Negro Family in the United States in 1939, which discussed the problems of slavery in US, Black Bourgeoisie in 1957 which studied the life of middle class blacks in US, the formulation of the UNESCO draft for the formulation of different policies governing the US policies.

Answer 2

Certainly! There were many black scholars who made significant impacts in the fields of history, sociology, and psychology during the mid and later decades of the twentieth century. Let's focus on two prominent scholars who greatly influenced their respective fields:

1. History - Dr. John Hope Franklin: John Hope Franklin (1915-2009) was a renowned historian and scholar, often regarded as one of the most influential figures in African American history. He specialized in African American history and the history of the American South. His groundbreaking research and writings brought attention to the historical experiences of African Americans and their contributions to the broader American history.

Dr. Franklin's seminal work, "From Slavery to Freedom: A History of African Americans," first published in 1947 and continuously updated, became a definitive text in the field of African American history. It provided a comprehensive account of the black experience in America, addressing the horrors of slavery, the challenges faced during Reconstruction, and the ongoing struggle for civil rights. The book not only reshaped the study of African American history but also had a broader impact on the understanding of American history itself.

2. Sociology - Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois: William Edward Burghardt Du Bois (1868-1963) was a pioneering sociologist, historian, civil rights activist, and writer. He was one of the first African Americans to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard University. Dr. Du Bois is best known for his groundbreaking research on race relations in America and his advocacy for civil rights.

In his seminal work, "The Souls of Black Folk," published in 1903, Du Bois examined the social, economic, and psychological impact of racism on African Americans. He introduced the concept of the "double consciousness," a term used to describe the internal conflict experienced by black individuals living in a society that views them through a racist lens. This concept opened up new avenues of inquiry in sociology and had a profound influence on subsequent research in the field of race and ethnicity.

Additionally, Dr. Du Bois co-founded the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1909, an organization dedicated to fighting for civil rights and equality for African Americans. Through his scholarship and activism, he challenged prevailing sociological theories that perpetuated racial stereotypes and discrimination.

Both John Hope Franklin and W.E.B. Du Bois significantly shaped their respective fields by bringing attention to the experiences and contributions of people of color. Their works not only contributed to the fields of history, sociology, and psychology but also played crucial roles in the broader civil rights movements and societal progress. They challenged prevailing narratives, debunked stereotypes, and paved the way for future generations of scholars to study and acknowledge the richness of African American history and culture.