An impressive body of psychological literature exists that attests to the amount of intellectual labor put forth by Black psychologists in developing and implementing unique approaches to understanding people of African descent. Yet the impact of these contributions made by Black psychologists have often been marginalized and rendered invisible within the overall context of Black intellectual thought. The absence leaves a void in the literature for those seeking an accurate account of the ideas that shape contemporary Black thought. This cursory review of the psychological literature attempts to fill that void by examining some of the major issues, concepts, and themes addressed in African/Black psychology, as well as identifying a few neglected areas and offering suggestions for future research directions in the discipline.

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Healers and priests were archetypes of intellectuals in West Africa that were maintained in the cultural memory of Africans in the diaspora in spite of enslavement. The presence of these intellectuals/healers countered the perpetuation of Eurocentric thought because they were guardians of African culture and possessed the ability to transfer and transmit collective cultural and historical memory. Wade Nobles positions his intellectual work and activism in the tradition of healers that countered European cultural hegemony while affirming the humanity of African people. Nobles defines the Sakhu as the process of illuminating the human spirit and utilizes the various manifestations and functions of the Sakhu to demonstrate the intricate connections between spirituality, science, and culture. Through seeking, defining, unlocking, and applying the Sakhu, Nobles articulates a worldview grounded in African spirituality that attempts to heal the minds and spirits of African people.

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Scholars engaged in the history of ideas have given very little attention, if any, to the intellectual history of African-centered psychological thought. Yet, there are pertinent issues addressed in the literature and the various discourses emanating from the literature produced by African-centered psychologists. Intellectual histories allow us to uncover the intellectual antecedents and trace the theoretical steps of the great thinkers that set the foundation for the road contemporary scholars travel. This brief intellectual portrait uses the pioneering work of Kobi Kambon as a representative model of important ideas discussed in African-centered psychology. Kobi Kambon is an internationally renowned scholar in African-centered psychology, Black personality, mental health, and cultural oppression. While this is not an exhaustive treatment of all of Kambon's major works, it is an attempt to provide a theoretical and conceptual sketch of the intellectual influences, the intellectual contributions, and the intellectual spaces in which his scholarly activity took place. Kambon's laborious work in developing and defining the parameters of African-centered psychology provides a blueprint and conceptual road map that future African-centered psychologists can consult