Even the Rat Was White: A Historical View of Psychology

by Robert V. Guthrie

Even The Rat Was White views history from all perspectives in the quest for historical accuracy. Histories and other background materials are presented in detail concerning early African-American psychologists and their scientific contributions, as well as their problems, views, and concerns of the field of social psychology. Archival documents that are not often found in mainstream resources are uncovered through the use of journals and magazines, such as the Journal of Black Psychology, the Journal of Negro Education, and Crisis.

Genres: Psychology, History, Nonfiction, Race, Counselling, Science, Historical

282 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1976

Reviews

[Qasim Zafar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great read for those who are concerned with how scientific racism was involved in the early development of Western Psychology. It discusses how, for example, the theory of evolution was used to justify racism against people of color. As an interesting fact (not mentioned in the book) the original title of The Origin of Species was "The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection or the Preservation of Preferred Races in the Struggle for Life." The author does a good job in the discussion of eugenics and how it found favor within the intellectual elites of America, and also the pseudoscience used ot justify it.

The book concludes with discussing how and why African-Americans were so underrepresented in the field of psychology in the early days of psychology; and with the discussion of the contributions of various African-American psychologists to the field of Black Psychology.

The following links added to my experience of the book:

1. The US medical system is still haunted by slavery: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfYRz...
2. Genealogist Who Tracks Down Modern-Day Slavery Practices: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OXbJ...
3. Harriet A. Washington: Discussing Medical Experimentation on Black Americans: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSHkY...
4. How Modern Medicine Was Born of Slavery: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-JTw...
5. Race Medicine: Treating Health Inequities from Slavery to Genomics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFgCM...
6. Maafa 21 - Black Genocide in 21st Century America: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6XfU...

[Mike Zickar · Rating 5 out of 5]

A timely read given that APA's historic apology letter for all of the efforts that American psychologists made to perpetuate racism. This book by Guthrie was an important text that played a part in that declaration and is cited in the resolution.

This is a great book that helps present a critical eye to the history of psychology and how it is indifferent at best and often worked against African-Americans to exclude them from the profession and to make a white-centric psychology. The author details our field's involvement in the eugenics movement.

A well-researched and written book and one that I wish I had read a long time ago!

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good introduction to the issues that African American's faced as they strove to join and impact the field of psychology in the United States. Overcoming long term anti-black biases within science as a whole was a major part of this movement and is dealt with at length in the book. The last part of the book, however, is a series of short biographies of eminent black psychologists. While both of these sections were interesting, and are important topics for consideration, they did leave the book somewhat divided in focus. I guess my major criticism of the book would be that it takes a somewhat "kitchen sink" approach. But as an introductory work that is probably OK.

[Keeley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book gives the other side of the story of Psychology, it's exploitation of African Americans, and details each of the AFrican AMericans who made a contribution to Psychology, which is information you will not get in a normal college text on the History of Psychology. Very informative.

[Negasi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Lots of historical information. This book kept me inspired times I began to feel overwhelmed in grad studies.

[haleykeg · Rating 5 out of 5]

really informative! also clearly written by an academic

[Shelley Diamond · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a great title that reflects the racist history of the study of psychology. The book goes all the way back to scientific efforts to justify slavery and forced sterilization of Black people in the U.S., gives details on the racist application and interpretation of IQ tests, as well as showing the impact on public education and laws.

This is one of the only books I've heard of that documents this racist history in the context of psychology. It is shocking to read but should be required for any professional in the mental health field.

The book also profiles many black psychologists and their contributions to the field.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book about 15 years ago as part of my psych undergrad - a psychology of diversity course taught by a brilliant and bold Black professor who had to field way too many questions from white students who want to challenge everything rather than listen and I'm certain gave us way too much grace. I have reflected and come back to this book throughout my career as I began working in healthcare and research and seeing how data is collected, how it is used, what conclusions we draw from it, and how much we continue to get wrong, at best, and how we continue to cause harm, at worse. The class I took and this book, and others like it, should be part of required curriculum, rather than an elective credit. Definitely should be required reading for anyone in any research-based field: medicine, psychology, social work, public health, etc, etc. Every time I heard people mention works like "The Bell Curve," I remember thinking throw that in the trash and please see this one here. Still relevant!

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first half of the book explores ways that presuppositions guide scientific questions, studies and answers--in particular, how racism caused scientists to "prove" white superiority. The second portion explores African American's in higher education, especially psychology, explores their difficulties, and introduces some of the early practitioners.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Important background for critical psychologists but could have benefitted from a compelling argument to carry through the work.

[Erin]

I read the older print of this book so I won’t review it but - from I’ve heard from others who read the new version - I think it’s fair to say that this book (like many) falls a bit flat on pieces of intersectionality. The racism they’re talking about especially regarding intelligence testing is also very linked to ableism. We need to talk about both and how they interact with each other.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was fascinating. I definitely feel like this is an important read for students of psychology. I didn't really know a lot about the history of my science and this was eye-opening.

[Hannah Glenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read for graduate level History & Systems course to supplement the typical history of psychology readings on Wundt and James. For a textbook, this was a painful and eye opening read.

[✨️]

definitely an intro level book to racism/anti-blackness in the field of social psychology, but something everyone should be more aware of!

[Ann Merriwether · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read for any psychologist. The racist history of psychology must never be forgotten. Guthrie does an amazing job outlining the origins of psychology's problematic past and the persistence and brilliance of the Black psychologists who effected change. I use this book in my history of psychology class and it is a favorite of both senior undergrads and graduate students.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting (if somewhat embarassing) look at the white-monocultural-ethnocentric history of the field of psychology.

[Elizabeth]

As mentioned in the Race and Research Symposium sponsored by the Johns Hopkins Urban Health Institute.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned a lot from this book, very eye-opening.