Back Then and Right Now in the History of Psychology

This text in a concise way uniquely approaches the history of human psychology by weaving together the psychological elements of ancient Egyptians, the psychological contents of medieval sub-Saharan Africans and the psychological experiences of Diasporan Africans into African perspectives in the annals and systems of present human psychology.  Psychological strands from the histories of the Asians, Anglos, Jews, Arabians, Spanish, Latinos, and Caribbeans factored into the African-centered perspectives of the text.  The text’s use of African indigenous traditions as points of discovering and introducing the history of human psychology make it distinctive among mainstream Euro-American and Black Psychology texts on historical Psychology.  The text examines the nature and beginnings of early Psychology of the pre-historic or ancient people on Earth – Africans.  Mythical and racial developments in early human knowledge and domains of Psychology are explored.  The way early Europeans took ideas and institutions from ancient Blacks, and how they changed these ideas and principles to create a psychology of their own is addressed.  The psychological cultures, ideas, institutions and achievements of medieval Africans are explored.

The text point out the historical and psychological horrors that swept through Africa by way of the trans-Atlantic slave system.  The place of Blacks in America’s psychological institutions – economic, educational, social, political, legal, ecological, technological, religious – are addressed.  The historical contributions of African centered psychology, the nature and positions of Psycho-Africalysis in human psychology are presented.  The theorizations, definitions and research constructs in African centered psychology are shown.  The text highlights works in such areas like psycho-historical, psycho-philosophical, psycho-social, psycho-therapeutics, and psycho-methodological, etc.

The text outlines the collaborations of continuous work, ongoing research and developments among continental African, Diasporan African and good faith Euro-American Psychologists.

Dr. John Egbeazien Oshodi was born in Uromi, Nigeria, on June 8, 1959.  He hails from the Oshodi and Okojabulu chiefdom of Uromi, an Ishan community in the Edo culture.  The spiritual and the intellectual atmosphere of his early life and his close relationship with immediate and extended family members, among whom are traditional priests, soothsayers, police scientists, legal counselors and royal advisers, had a lasting effect upon his values and upon his view of human behavior.  He received his secondary education at Hussey College, Warri, Nigeria.  Upon his arrival in the United State in 1982, he first attended  the Miami Dade Community College,  thereafter, entered  the Florida International University where he received his B.S. and M.S. in Criminal Justice/Criminology respectively in 1985 and 1987.  He received his psychology training at the Miami Institute of Psychology of the Caribbean Center for Advanced Studies now known as the Carlos Albizu University.  In  his graduating Ph.D. class he was the only Black male,and he received his Ph.D. degree with utmost distinction.  Dr. Oshodi’s vocational background includes serving as a Prison Rehabilitation Counselor, and Juvenile Probation Counselor.  In addition to his position as a Psychological Consultant to public and private agencies, he has a long standing history of providing psychological services to Community Mental Health Centers , School Systems and the Criminal, Family and Juvenile Justice Systems. His work largely covers Inner Cities and Urban areas of South Florida. Dr. Oshodi is a participating practitioner for Managed Care/Insurance establishments, and several behavioral and health care networks.  He is an active member of the American Psychological Association, Association of Black Psychologists and other professional and community associations. Dr. Oshodi is a Fellow of the American College of Forensic Examiners and holds Diplomat status in the American Board of Forensic Examiners, the American Board of Forensic Medicine and the American Board of Psychological Specialties. He has published and taught in the areas of achievement motivation, cultural motivation and cultural/self-identity. His research in the areas of the Psychology of Motivation and Perception has extended to Continental Africa. Dr. Oshodi’s intellectual influence evolved from the works of original theorists such as Cheikh Anta Diop, Wole Soyinka, and Molefi Kete Asante.  He is contineously exploring a collective theory of human psychology which he calls “Psychoafricalysis.”  Dr. Oshodi and his family live in Miami, Florida, where he directs The Oshodi Foundation Center for Psychological and Forensic Services.