Major Interests

Cultural and psychological functions of African American music, and particularly African American spirituals; African American and intercultural spirituality and mental health; Jungian psychology; social justice and social change.

Educational and Professional Degrees and Certificates

1967 – A.B., psychology, Drew University, Madison, New Jersey

1969 – M.A., clinical psychology, University of Iowa, Iowa City

1974 – Ph.D., clinical psychology, University of Iowa, Iowa City

1979 – Colorado professional psychology license (#573); previous licensure in Illinois, Ohio

1989 – Certificate, C.G. Jung Collected Works Reading Seminar, C.G. Jung Center, Denver, Colorado

2020 – Graduate, The Living School at the Center for Action and Contemplation, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Music Training

1987 – 2001: Private voice training, Anne Van Etten, Aurora, Colorado

1988 – 1992: Vocal coaching, Richard Boldrey, Boulder, Colorado and

Chicago, Illinois

1990 – 1991: Vocal coaching, Charles Lawrie, Denver, Colorado

Academic & Clinical Experience

2019 – Present: Professor Emeritus of Music, Culture & Psychology, University of Denver Lamont School of Music

2019 – 2020: Interim Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Inclusion, University of Denver

2017 – Present: Affiliate Faculty Member, Interdisciplinary Research Incubator for the Study of (In)equality (I.R.I.S.E.), University of Denver

2016 – 2019: Teaching Professor of Music, Culture and Psychology, Department of Musicology, Ethnomusicology and Theory, University of Denver Lamont School of Music

2014 – 2016: Associate Dean and Clinical Professor, Colorado Women’s College of the University of Denver (formerly The Women’s College)

2014 – 2016: President, University of Denver Faculty Senate

2011 – 2014: Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence and Clinical Professor, The Women’s College of the University of Denver

2010 – 2011: Academic Chair, The Women’s College of the University of Denver

2010 - 2011: Faculty Director, Social Justice Living and Learning Community, University of Denver

2009 – 2010: Clinical Professor, The Women’s College of the University of Denver

2002 – 2005: Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine

1994 – 2000: Core Faculty Member, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, Union Institute and University, Cincinnati, Ohio

1991 – 2009: Clinical Professor, Psychology Department, University of Denver

1981 – 1995: Independent Clinical Psychology Practice, Denver

1978 – 1983: Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of Colorado School of Medicine

1978 – 1981: Special Assistant to the Dean for Diversity Initiatives, University of Colorado School of Medicine

1977 – 1978: Assistant Professor of Psychology, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio

1975 – 1977: Assistant Professor of Psychology, Sangamon State University (now University of Illinois at Springfield), Springfield, Illinois

Music Experience

Choir Member and Soloist, Spirituals Project Choir (1999 – present)

Lecture-concert and workshop programs on African American spirituals, venues throughout the U.S. (1991 – present)

Peter (“The Honeyman”), in Porgy and Bess, Opera Colorado (2000)

Organizer and participating performer, annual programs of music and stories in African American and Jewish traditions, Denver (1994 – 1998)

Featured vocalist, Colorado Springs Symphony Orchestra (1994)

Contract tenor soloist, Washington Park United Methodist Church, Denver (1989 – 1991)

Recitalist & oratorio soloist (1987 – 2001)

Chorister, Opera Colorado (1987-1990)

Military Service

1969: Graduate, U.S. Navy Officer Candidate School, Newport, R.I.

1969 – 1972: Commissioned Officer on Full-time Active Duty, U.S. Naval Reserve

Academic Awards

Woodrow Wilson Graduate Fellow (1967 – 1968)

Danforth Graduate Fellow (1967 – 1969; 1972 – 1974)

First Time Author of a Book Award, Catholic Press Association of America, for Wade in the Water: The Wisdom of the Spirituals, 1994

Outstanding Core Faculty Award, University of Denver, 2004

Outstanding Faculty Award, Center for Multicultural Excellence, University of Denver, 2004

Professor of the Year Award, Colorado Women’s College, University of Denver, 2010 and 2016 

John Nichols Outstanding Male Ally Award, University of Denver Women’s Conference, 2017

Elected to lifetime membership in Pi Kappa Lambda (Eta Psi Chapter), National Music Honor Society, 2018

Distinguished Achievement and Service Awards

Distinguished Service Award, Colorado State Board of Psychologist Examiners, 1987

E. Ellis Graham Award for Distinguished Contributions to Psychology, Colorado Psychological Association, 1990

Richard T. Castro Memorial Award, Coalition for Multi-cultural Mental Health Services, 1994

Best Single Program Award, for Balm in Gilead: The Legacy of African American Spirituals, Colorado Broadcasters’ Association, 1997

Community Service Award, Drew University Alumni(ae) Association, 1999

Frances B. Sellers Award, Drew University Alumni(ae) Association, 2002

Mountain Award, African American Leadership Institute, 2002

Denver “Unsung Heroes” Award (selected by the City of Denver, on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the city, as one of 150 “unsung heroes” who have contributed to making Denver a great city), 2008

Distinguished Career Award, National Association of Negro Musicians, 2010

Denver Mayor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts, for The Spirituals Project, 2010

M.O.D.E.L (Men of Distinction, Excellence and Leadership) Award, Epsilon Nu Omega alumnae chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, 2012

Excellence in Education Award, 42nd Annual Colorado Gospel Music Academy Hall of Fame, 2012

Menola Upshaw Humanitarian Lifetime Achievement Award, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Colorado Holiday Commission, 2013

Martin Luther King, Jr. Peace Award, Metropolitan State University of Denver, 2015

Proclamation from Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, declaring February 11, 2017 as “Dr. Arthur C. Jones and The Spirituals Project Day,” in honor of the date of the inaugural concert of The Spirituals Project in its new home as an official program of the University of Denver, 2017

“African Americans Who Make a Difference” Award, Denver Urban Spectrum, 2017

Juneteenth Music Festival #DreamBig Award, 2020

Negro Spirituals Heritage Keepers Award, Friends of Negro Spirituals, Oakland, California, 2022

Inaugural “Arthur C. Jones Spirituals Award,” The Spirituals Project, Lamont School of Music, University of Denver, 2023

Professional and Community Activities

Member, Board of Directors, Together Colorado (2023 – present)

Member, Leadership Council, Spiritual Direction Colorado (2020 – 2022)

Senior Advisor, International Career Advancement Program (ICAP), Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver (2017 – present)

Member, National Honorary Council, American Music Research Center, University of Colorado at Boulder (2008 – present)

Founder, The Spirituals Project, a University of Denver-based national educational initiative to help preserve the cultural tradition of African American spirituals (Chair, 1998 – 2012; Chair Emeritus, 2012 - Present)

Member, National Advisory Council, Veterans of Hope Project, Iliff School of Theology (2003 - present)

Member, Board of Directors, Centus (Counseling, Consulting, Education), Denver (2013 – 2018)

Member, Arts and Culture Advisory Committee, Denver Foundation (2011 - 2013)

Member, Advisory Board, Mizel Museum, Denver (2010 - 2016)

Chair, Denver (Mayor’s) Commission on Cultural Affairs (2006 – 2010)

Member, Denver Commission on Cultural Affairs (2004-2006)

Program Chair, Division 37 (Child and Adolescent Services), American Psychological Association (2003 – 2004)

Board of Directors, Black American West Museum, Denver (2001 – 2003)

Supervising Producer, Balm in Gilead: The Legacy of African American Spirituals, KCNC-TV, Denver (1997)

Board of Directors, Kenyan Children Foundation (1994 – 2000)

Grant Review and Distribution Committee, Metro Denver Black Church Initiative, Piton Foundation (1993 – 1998)

Board of Trustees, C.G. Jung Society of Colorado (1990 – 1997)

Accreditation Site Visitor, American Psychological Association (1988 – 1997)

Colorado State Board of Psychologist Examiners (1982 – 1988), Chairperson, 1985 – 1987

Board of Directors, Black AIDS Project-at-Large, Denver (1988 – 1994)

Research Director, Urban League Housing Discrimination Audit Program, Springfield, Illinois (1975-1977)

Publications

Jones, A.C. (1969). Influence of mode of stimulus presentation on performance in facial recognition tasks. Cortex, 5, 290-301.

Dimond, R.E., Havens, R.A. & Jones, A.C. (1978).  A conceptual framework for the practice of prescriptive eclecticism in psychotherapy. American Psychologist, 33, 239-248.

Jones, A.C. (1978). Life change and psychological distress as predictors of pregnancy outcome. Psychosomatic Medicine, 40, 402-412.

Jones, A.C. (1979). A model of practice for doctoral and master’s level practitioners in psychology. Professional Psychology, 10, 189-194.

Jones, A.C. (1979). Review of Psychopathology and Subfecundity, by Joseph A. McFalls, Jr. Psychosomatic Medicine, 41, 574.

Jones, A.C. (1980). Implications of white racism for curriculum development in clinical and counseling psychology training programs. In R.L. Jones (Ed.), Sourcebook on the Teaching of Black Psychology. Washington, DC: Association of Black Psychologists.

Leonard, P. & Jones, A.C. (1980). Theoretical considerations for psychotherapy with Black clients. In R.L. Jones (Ed.), Black Psychology (2nd Edition), New York: Harper & Row.

Jones, A.C. (1985). Psychological functioning in Black Americans: A  conceptual guide for use in psychotherapy. Psychotherapy, 22, (2S), 363-369.

Jones, A.C. (1989). Psychological functioning in African American adults: Some elaborations on a model, with clinical applications. In R.L. Jones (Ed.), Black American Adult Development. Berkeley, CA: Cobb & Henry.

Jones, A.C. (1990). Review of Survival of the Black Family: The Institutional Impact of U.S. Social Policy, by K. Sue Jewell. Contemporary Psychology, 35, 978-979.

Jones, A.C. (1990). Review of Black Families in Therapy, by Nancy Boyd-Franklin. Contemporary Psychology, 35, 1044-1045.

Jones, A.C. (1992). Self-esteem and identity in psychotherapy with adolescents from upwardly mobile middle-class African American families. In L.A. Vargas & J.D. Koss-Chioino (Eds.), Working with Culture: Psychotherapeutic Interventions with Ethnic Minority Children and Adolescents. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Jones, A..C. (1993, 1999). Wade in the Water: The Wisdom of the Spirituals. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books.

Jones, A.C. (1994). Cultural competence: From fear to opportunity. The Child, Youth and Family Services Quarterly, 17 (2), 16-19.

Jones, A.C. (1995). Spirit, community and music: An African American incantation. Focus: Notes from the Society for the Psychological Study of Ethnic Minority Issues, 9 (1), 6-7.

Jones, A.C. (1997). Film reviews: “Frantz Fanon: White Skin, Black Mask” & “Shattering the Silences”. Focus: Notes from the Society for the Psychological Study of Ethnic Minority Issues, 11 (1), 17-18.

Jones, A.C. & Chao, C.M. (1997). Racial, ethnic and cultural issues in couples therapy. In W.K. Halford & H.J. Markman (Eds.), Clinical Handbook of Marriage and Couples Intervention. Chicester: Wiley.

Jones, A.C. (1998). Upwardly mobile African American Adults: Reflections on rootedness, psychotherapy and identity. In R.L. Jones (Ed.), African American Mental Health. Hampton, VA: Cobb & Henry.

Jones, A.C. (2000). Gospel music vs. spirituals: What is the difference anyway? Why should we celebrate the spirituals? The Negro Spiritual, 1(4).

Jones, A.C. (2001). The foundational influence of the spirituals. In F. Jones & A.C. Jones (Eds.), The Triumph of the Soul: Cultural and Psychological Aspects of African American Music. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers.

Jones, F. & Jones, A.C. (Eds.) (2001),.The Triumph of the Soul: Cultural and Psychological Aspects of African American Music. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers.

Jones, A.C. (2004). Black spirituals, physical sensuality, and sexuality: Notes on a neglected field of inquiry. In A.B. Pinn & D. Hopkins (Eds.), Loving the Body: Black Religious Studies and the Erotic. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Jones, A.C. (2004). The foundational influence of spirituals in African American Culture: A psychological perspective. Black Music Research Journal, 24(2), 251-260.

Jones, A..C. (2005). Wade in the Water: The Wisdom of the Spirituals (Third Edition). Boulder:  Leave a Little Room Foundation.

Jones, A.C. (2007). Changing culture-scapes. In Conference Proceedings: Open Dialogue XI: Global Connections to Cultural Democracy. Denver, CO: The Western States Arts Federation. 

Jones, A.C. (2023) Wade in the Water: The Wisdom of the Spirituals, Revised Edition. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books.