Even the Rat Was White at 50
October 16, 2026, 9:30AM - 4:30PM
Cummings Center for the History of Psychology, 73 S. College Street, Akron, Ohio 44325-4302
A one-day Symposium organized by the Greater Cleveland Chapter of the Association of Black Psychologists and the Cummings Center for the History of Psychology
This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of Robert V. Guthrie’s Even the Rat Was White (1976), a landmark work that critically examined the history of racism in psychology and related social and behavioral sciences. Guthrie exposed patterns of scientific racism within the field, challenging assumptions of objectivity by illuminating the “whitewashing” of research, the persistence of biased measurement, and the long-standing institutional exclusion of Black scholars. At the same time, he documented the emergence of Black psychology, highlighting the growth of programs at historically Black colleges and universities and recovering the contributions of early Black pioneers whose work had been overlooked.
Reflecting on the book in 2020, Layli Maparyan described it as “an intervention on reality,” one that reshaped understandings of the discipline by centering the experiences and contributions of Black psychologists. She emphasized its profound impact on students, scholars, and the formation of professional networks such as the Association of Black Psychologists, characterizing the text as a model of academically grounded racial justice activism.
Fifty years after its publication, this symposium revisits Guthrie’s foundational work to examine its enduring relevance. Bringing together scholars and practitioners, the program will explore developments in Black psychology since the 1970s, assess the contemporary role of racial justice activism in the field, and consider the ongoing presence and transformation of racism within psychology and allied disciplines.
Save the Date for Friday, October 16 in Akron, Ohio. A full program will be announced soon.