Martin David Jenkins

Born: 1904 in Terre Haute, Indiana
Died: 1978

Education

1930-1932 Instructor of education at Virginia State College (University).
1934 Awarded a graduate fellowship from Northwestern University, the first of its kind given to a Black American at Northwestern.
1935-1937 Registrar and professor of Education at North Carolina Agriculture and Technical College.
1937 Accepted the position of Dean of Instruction at Cheyney State Teachers College in Pennsylvania.
1938-1948 Professor of education at Howard University with a one-year duty assignment as a Senior Specialist in Higher Education, Office of Education.
1948-1970 President of Morgan State College in Maryland.
1970-1974 Director of the Office of Urban Affairs, American Council on Education in Washington, D.C.

His Ph.D. dissertation, “A Socio-Psychological Study of Negro Children of Superior Intelligence,” became an educational psychology classic. His investigation into intelligence test scores found that intelligence levels for Blacks were as high as those for whites. He also discovered a representative sample of “superior” Black students, one of whom had the highest IQ then on record. He lectured widely on educational psychology in the U.S. and under the auspices of the U.S. Department of State at various college and universities in France, Norway, Sweden, Greece, Italy, and Lebanon.
In addition, he was a Diplomate in Clinical Psychology (ABEPP) and published more than eighty books, monographs, and articles.

He was decorated by the Liberian Government as Knight of the Liberian Humane Order of African Redemption.
Andrew White Medal from Loyola College
The Department of the Army Outstanding Civilian Service Medal
"A Commendation for Model Cities Activities" by the Departments of Health, Education, and Welfare and Housing and Urban Development.
He was awarded honorary doctor’s degrees by the University of Liberia, Delaware State College, Howard University, Indiana State University, Johns Hopkins University, Lincoln University, and Morgan State College
1974 the Martin David Jenkins Behavioral Science Center at Morgan State College was dedicated in his honor.