Mamie Phipps Clark

Mamie Phipps Clark was an influential American psychologist known for her pioneering work in child development and race relations. Born in 1917, she co-founded the Northside Center for Child Development in Harlem, focusing on the mental health of African American children. Clark is best known for the "Doll Test," which examined children's racial attitudes by asking them to choose between Black and white dolls. Her research highlighted the negative effects of segregation and racism on children’s self-esteem. In 1954, her work was cited in the landmark Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education, which ended racial segregation in public schools.