Shearley Oliver Roberts

Born: 1910 in Alexandria, Virginia
Died: 1984

Education

1932 B.A. degree with honors from Brown University
1933 M.A. degree with honors from Brown
1944 the University of Minnesota conferred a Ph.D. in Child Welfare (Child Development) and Psychology.

Studied at the University of Minnesota with J.E. Anderson, F. Goodenough, B.F. Skinner, and D.G. Paterson.
1933-1936 Instructor at Atlanta University.
1942-1943 Acting dean at Dunbar Junior College.
1939-1942 and 1944-1945 Teacher and Dean of Students at Arkansas AM&N College.
Lecturer in psychology at Meharry Medical College.
1950 Delegate to the White House Conference on Youth.
1950 Inaugurated the Program in Child Life and Development at Fisk.
Served on the Council of Psychological Resources in the South, the Governor’s Committee on Training and Research in Tennessee, the board of the Mental Health Center of Middle Tennessee, the Nashville Metropolitan Action Commission (as member and vice chairman) and other scientific and professional groups. He was also a delegate to the White House Conference on Youth in 1950.
Participated in the Thayer Conference on Psychology and Schools.

He was editor of the Fisk-Meharry Local Preparatory Commission’s Report on “Negro America Youth, Mental Health and World Citizenship.” From 1951-1952 he was a professor of psychology and education and the chairman of Fisk University’s psychology department. Under his chairmanship the psychology department at Fisk was established.

Fellow of the Society for Research in Child Development and of the Division of Developmental Psychology of the American Psychological Association.