Background
Kittrell, Flemmie Pansy was born on December 25, 1904 in Henderson, North Carolina, United States. Daughter of James Lee and Alice (Mills) Kittrell.
Kittrell, Flemmie Pansy was born on December 25, 1904 in Henderson, North Carolina, United States. Daughter of James Lee and Alice (Mills) Kittrell.
Bachelor of Science, Hampton Institute, 1928. Doctor of Philosophy, Cornell Univercity, 1936. Doctor of Humane Letters, University North Carolina, 1976.
Dean students, director home economics Bennett College, Greensboro, North Carolina, 1928-1940.
Dean women, director division home economics Hampton Institute, 1940-1944. Professor home economics, head department Howard University, 1944-1972, emeritus, 1972-1980.
Visiting professor College Human Ecology Cornell Univercity, 1974-1975. Fulbright lecturer Baroda (India) University, 1950-1951.
Member International Cooperation Administration mission to India, 1953-1955.
Conductor nutrition survey in Liberia, West. Africa for State Department, 1947. Nutrition of India Survey in education for Foreign Operations Administration United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, 1960. Consultant home economics program to Congo, 1961-1962.
Member Airlift Team of Understanding to Bangladesh, 1972.
Delegate International Development Conference, Abidjan, Ivory Coast, 1974. Participant United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund tour of Upper Volta, African drought land, 1974.
Visiting fellow College Human Ecology, Cornell Univercity, 1974-1975. Trustee, Freedom from Hunger Foundation, Incorporated., Sibly Hospital, Washington, Hampton Institute.
United Nations observer Conference for New Horizons for Women of Africa, Morocco, 1971.
Agency for International Development observer to Zaire, 1972. Member home economics college council Cornell Univercity.
Her research focused on such topics as the levels of protein requirements in adults, the proper feeding of black infants, and the importance of preschool enrichment experiences for children. Her professors at Hampton encouraged her to continue her studies of science and home economics in graduate school. During a period when there were very few female graduate students, Kittrell accepted a scholarship to Cornell University.
Doctor Kittrell went on to become the dean of women and head of the department of home economics at Hampton Institute. ln 1944, she left Hampton to become head of the home economics department at the prestigious Howard University in Washington, Doctorate. C. Here she developed a broader curriculum for home economics that included child development.
She believed that home economists should be concerned with low-income and minority families in small towns and rural areas. Doctor Kittrell also blended the home economics curriculum with courses in other areas such as science and engineering.
In 1947, Doctor Kittrell began an international crusade to improve nutrition. She led a group to Liberia, where she found the diet of the people to be severely lacking in proteins and vitamins.
Her reports on "hidden hunger", a type of malnutrition in people with full stomachs, led to many changes in the agricultural practices of Liberia and other countries.
She later traveled to India, Japan, West Africa, Central Africa, Guinea, and Russia. In Baroda, India, Doctor Kittrell created a college-level training program for home economics. In addition to setting up programs abroad, Doctor Kittrell designed a program at Howard University to recruit students from other countries.
She used both public and private funds to hold seminars on the latest nutritional research, to encourage women to seek advanced degrees, and to help other schools develop quality programs.
In the 1960s, Doctor Kittrell was instrumental in creating the Head Start program Doctor Kittrell was frequently honored for her important work.
She received the Scroll of Honor from the National Council of Negro Women in 1961. The American Home Economics Association created a scholarship in her name.
She retired from teaching in 1972, but continued to work as a consultant and lecturer in various settings.
Kittrell died unexpectedly of cardiac arrest on October 3, 1980, in Washington, District of Columbia
Fellow American Association for the Advancement of Science. Member American Association of University Women, National Education Association (life), American Dietetics Association, American Home Economics Association (life), Association Child Education, Society Prodigal Son, Sigma Xi, Omicron Nu, Pi Lambda Theta, Phi Kappa Phi, Sigma Delta Epsilon, Beta Kappa Chirurgical