Dr. Alvin Poussaint
Below is a message from Fairplay Founder Dr. Susan Linn:
It is with great sadness that I share the news that Dr. Alvin Poussaint, emeritus Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, died on February 24 at the age of 90. He was a mentor to me and countless others. Media outlets across the country have celebrated his lifelong dedication to fighting against racism, including — but not at all limited to — putting his life on the line by providing medical care to Civil Rights workers in Mississippi during the 1960s. The Rev. Jesse Jackson said of him, “[Dr. Poussaint] is no armchair academician espousing theories and reaching conclusions from afar.” That is certainly how I experienced him during the 16 years we worked together. It’s true that he was a brilliant scholar, but he was also, at heart, an activist.
Fairplay is deeply indebted to Dr. Poussaint. In fact, we would not have come into being without him, and our work still embodies his influence. He cared deeply about the health and well-being of children and recognized the harms of allowing corporations unfettered access to kids. Our ethic of conducting what he called “evidence-based advocacy” came directly from him and is still a key component of our efforts and one crucial reason for our success. In addition, he was a master at using media coverage to combat injustice, promote health and encourage advocacy.
Twenty-five years ago, when he was my boss at Judge Baker (a children’s mental health center affiliated with Harvard Medical School), I came to him with an idea that some — if not most — distinguished, Ivy League professors would certainly dismiss as harebrained.
“There’s a company hosting a conference at the Grand Hyatt in New York City. They’re giving awards to companies that advertise directly to children,” I said. “Let’s go down there and organize a demonstration outside the hotel.” I’m still amazed not only that he agreed to my proposal, but that he was enthusiastic about it. And, when I got discouraged, he urged me on, saying, “You know, if you and I and just a couple of others show up, we’ll get some press.” In fact, people from all over the country joined us in New York, and the organization we now call Fairplay was launched.
Ten years and many campaigns later, we had a huge win when our efforts to discredit the marketing of “Baby Einstein” videos as educational for babies resulted in Disney offering refunds. Our success made the front page of The New York Times and, as a result of pressure from Disney, Fairplay’s staff was forced to leave Judge Baker. Dr. Poussaint stood by us and — in protest — left the center where he had worked for decades.
Among the many tributes to Dr. Poussaint, my favorite comes from Marion Wright Edelman, founder of the Children’s Defense Fund, whom he first met so many years ago in Mississippi. She focused on how he “helped raise awareness about the importance of addressing children and young people’s trauma, stress and emotional struggles, especially for young people growing up in marginalized communities.” His work was needed 65 years ago at the start of his career. And now, as so much of what he worked toward is being ruthlessly dismantled, it’s up to us to continue.
For those of you in the Boston area, there will be a celebration of Dr. Poussaint’s life on Saturday, March 22 at 1 pm at Harvard’s Memorial Church in Cambridge, MA. It will also be available to watch online.
Sincerely,
Susan Linn, EdD
Founder, Fairplay
P.S. In lieu of flowers, Dr. Poussaint’s family would like to honor his memory and legacy with contributions to The Family Van and Fairplay.
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