The Association of Black Psychologists: An Organization Dedicated to Social Justice

The Association of Black Psychologists (ABPsi) was founded on September 2, 1968, in San Francisco, California, in response to the American Psychological Association’s failure to address the mental health needs of the Black community. This revolutionary idea was borne out of the efforts of Black early career psychologists and student activists from across the United States. ABPsi, as the first national ethnic psychological association, has led the field of psychology in the areas of racial/ethnic identity, cultural psychology, multicultural competencies, positive psychology, and social justice. ABPsi publishes a peer-reviewed journal (Journal of Black Psychology) and a quarterly newsletter (Psych Discourse). More recently, ABPsi has established a licensing, certification, and proficiency program in African-centered Black psychology. A brief history of ABPsi and its relationship to the field of counseling psychology is discussed.