Dr. Frances Cress Welsing, the second of three girls, was born on March 18, 1935, in Chicago, Illinois. She was born into a family with a strong medical background, as both her father, Henry N. Cress, and her grandfather were medical doctors. After obtaining her bachelor’s degree at Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio, in 1957, she went on to earn her M.D. at Howard University College of Medicine in Washington D.C. five years later. Welsing embarked on a career in general and child psychiatry and made significant contributions to the field. Her Cress Theory essay, which was published while she was an assistant professor of pediatrics at the Howard University College of Medicine, sparked considerable controversy and led to her tenure at the university not being renewed in 1975.
In addition to her academic role, Welsing dedicated nearly twenty-five years of her career to working as a staff physician for the Department of Human Services in Washington, D.C. She also served as the clinical director of two schools for emotionally troubled children in the same city. With expertise in child and general psychiatry, she established a private practice in Washington D.C. in 1967 and gained recognition for her work with young people. Welsing identified white supremacy or racism as the world’s most pressing problem. She believed that the behavior of white supremacy was influenced by pigmentation and aimed to shift the focus of discussions from melanin to white supremacy.
Her groundbreaking 1970 essay, The Cress Theory of Color-Confrontation and Racism, laid the foundation for her ongoing exploration of white supremacy. In this essay, she argued that white people, constituting a small percentage of the earth’s population, view people of color as a threat to their survival due to their color deficiency. This perception has led to the imposition of white supremacy or racism on people of color throughout history. Welsing drew from Neeley Fuller’s observations in his 1969 Textbook for Victims of White Supremacy to support her argument. Fuller viewed racism as a universally operating system of white supremacy rule and domination, in which the majority of the world’s white people participate. He suggested that economic forms of government such as capitalism and communism were created to perpetuate white domination and that the white race is an organization dedicated to maintaining control over the world.
Building on Fuller’s views, Welsing contended that the white drive for superiority stemmed from a deep sense of inadequacy and inferiority. She cited journals, diaries, and books written by whites as evidence of their initial hostility and aggression towards people of color, particularly black people who are envied and feared due to their genetic color potential. In her 1990 book, The Isis Papers: The Keys to the Colors, Welsing delved deeper into the issue of white supremacy. She used America’s preoccupation with sports to illustrate what she perceived as white supremacist behavior in action. Welsing’s views on global white supremacy and racism have sparked controversy and debate within and outside the black community, as well as on national television.
Welsing’s theories have challenged existing definitions of racism put forth by social and behavioral scientists. Despite facing controversy, she has been recognized for being the first scientist to psychoanalyze white racism in the history of Western psychiatry. In addition to her academic work, Welsing engaged in public debates and discussions about racism. Her theories have influenced public discourse and have been referenced in various forms of media, including music and television.
Welsing also addressed societal issues such as drug trafficking and its impact on the black community. She advocated for a better understanding of the motivations behind such behaviors and emphasized the need for self-respect, discipline, and education as key elements in eradicating racism. Throughout her career, Welsing called for a stronger African American family structure and emphasized the importance of education and self-development before starting a family. She highlighted the need for mature, mentally developed parents who can raise children with self-respect and a high-level functioning pattern.
Frances Cress Welsing made significant contributions to the field of psychiatry and sparked important discussions about white supremacy and racism. Her work continues to influence academic discourse and public understanding of these complex issues.