Patricia Hill Collins

Personal Life and Education

Patricia Hill Collins was born in Philadelphia on May 1, 1948. Patricia was an only child and her parents were both involved in the war efforts of World War II. In her early schooling, Patricia was discriminated against for being one of the few African American woman whose parents were in the working class. After public school, she attended Brandies University. Moving to Boston helped her overcome the discrimination she had faced in the past, and she was able to begin shaping her own sociological perspective from being in a new environment. Patricia received her Bachelor of Arts with a major in sociology, and soon after continued her education further at Harvard University, earning her Master of Arts in Teaching. in 1970. Throughout her teaching career, Patricia took part in development in schools in cities. Patricia moved to Tufts University, as she was a Director in the African American Department, and met her husband Roger Collins in 1977. Two years after, they had baby Valerie. Patricia went back to Brandies University and received her doctorate in sociology.