Kevin Cokley

Kevin Cokley is a Professor of Educational Psychology and of African and African Diaspora Studies at the University of Texas-Austin. He serves as Faculty Affiliate of the Center for African and African American Studies.

Dr. Cokley earned his Ph.D. in Counseling and Psychological Services from Georgia State University. His academic career has focused on advancing understanding in African American psychology and related fields.

Dr. Cokley's research centers on racial and ethnic identity development, particularly examining how these factors impact academic achievement among African American students. His work investigates academic self-concept, motivation, and the complex psychological and environmental factors affecting student success. He is renowned for his Afrocentric and African-centered psychological approaches that challenge conventional wisdom about race, ethnicity, and culture in educational contexts. His influential 2004 Harvard Educational Review article directly challenged the pervasive notion that African American students are anti-intellectual.

Dr. Cokley has received significant recognition for his scholarly contributions:

• 2008 '10 Rising Stars of the Academy' award by Diverse Issues in Higher Education
• 2007 Association of Black Psychologists' Scholarship Award
• 2004 co-recipient of the Emerging Professional Award from the Society for the Psychological Study of Ethnic Minority Issues of the American Psychological Association

As Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Black Psychology, Dr. Cokley shapes scholarly discourse in his field. He has also contributed to the editorial boards of Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology and the Journal of Counseling Psychology. His teaching includes AFR 315O: Politics Of Black Identity, where he examines historical and contemporary issues concerning African American students in schools and society.