Esteemed author, psychiatrist and educator, Dr. Alvin Poussaint delivered the commencement address to graduates at Miles College’s 2014 Commencement, which took place at 11 a.m., Saturday, May 3, at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex.
Dr. Poussaint is one of the country’s finest and greatest psychiatrists and a leading authority on communication with regard to racial and family dynamics. Poussaint has worked with Bill Cosby on programs like, The Cosby Show, to portray positive images of African Americans.
Dr. Poussaint is co-author of Raising Black Children and Lay My Burden Down: Unraveling the Mental Health Crisis Among African Americans. He closely collaborated with Dr. Bill Cosby EdD on several of his best-selling books including Come On People.
Dr. Poussaint received an honorary doctorate degree from Miles College along with the honorable Congresswoman Terri Sewell, the first woman to serve in her position in her district.
In addition, the four martyred girls killed in the 1963 Sixteenth Street bombing, were memorialized posthumously with honorary degrees from the college. Family members of Carol Denise McNair, Addie Mae Collins, Carole Robertson and Cynthia Wesley were present at the ceremony to accept the degrees.
Lisa McNair accepted the degree on the behalf of her sister, Carol Denise McNair. Sarah Collins Rudolph accepted the degree on the behalf of her sister, Addie Mae Collins. Gaile Pugh Gratton Greene accepted on the behalf of Carole Robertson and Mr. Ricky Sylvester Powell on behalf of Cynthia Diane Wesley’s adopted sister Dr. Shirley Wesley King.
