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Edmund Gordon Profiled in the New York Times

A recent New York Times article called Edmund Gordon, the head of the Institute for Urban and Minority Education, "the premier black psychologist of his generation."

A recent New York Times article called Edmund Gordon, the head of the Institute for Urban and Minority Education, "the premier black psychologist of his generation." Dr. Gordon, 81, is a professor emeritus at both Yale and Columbia, a scholar in residence at the College Board, and the author of more than 175 scholarly articles and a dozen books. Dr. Gordon grew up in segregated Goldsboro, N.C. as the relatively privileged son of a physician and a school teacher. His personal experiences led him to what eventually became his professional focus---the achievement gap between black and white students. Dr. Gordon studied at Howard University, but was suspended for a semester for not keeping up.

When he returned to Howard Gordon found a mentor in philosopher Alain Locke. Later Gordon found another mentor in one of the preeminent black thinkers of the 20th century, W.E.B. DuBois. Being a psychologist is Gordon's third career, having worked previously as a Presbyterian minister and an assistant Dean at Howard University. Gordon hopes to continue to make a difference in the lives of poor children. "I'm not going to be around for that much longer, and I want to do something where I have some chance of success," Dr. Gordon said. "I doubt we can do anything in that time frame at the lower socioeconomic level. But we do understand what to do to help the minority kids in Montclair or East Ramapo or Shaker Heights. And even that's a tall order in the few years I have left."

The article, entitled "Studying Race, Privilege, and Intellectual Levels" appeared in the January 8th edition of the New York Times.

Published Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2003

Edmund Gordon Profiled in the New York Times | Teachers College Columbia University

Edmund Gordon Profiled in the New York Times

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