Sokoni Tacuma Karanja (Lathan Johnson) (born January 7, 1940 in

Topeka, Kansas Topeka ( ; Kansa: ; iow, Dópikˀe, script=Latn or ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the seat of Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeast Kansas, in the Central U ...

) is a child development expert, and President and CEO of the Center for New Horizons. He graduated from Topeka High School in 1958, from

Washburn University Washburn University (WU) is a public university in Topeka, Kansas, United States. It offers undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and business. Washburn has 550 faculty members, who teach more than 6,100 ...

with a B.A. in 1961, from the

University of Denver The University of Denver (DU) is a private research university in Denver, Colorado. Founded in 1864, it is the oldest independent private university in the Rocky Mountain Region of the United States. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Univ ...

with a master's degree in psychology, from

Atlanta University Clark Atlanta University (CAU or Clark Atlanta) is a private, Methodist, historically black research university in Atlanta, Georgia. Clark Atlanta is the first Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in the Southern United States. Fou ...

with a master's degree in social work, from the

University of Cincinnati The University of Cincinnati (UC or Cincinnati) is a public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded in 1819 as Cincinnati College, it is the oldest institution of higher education in Cincinnati and has an annual enrollment of over 44,0 ...

with a master's degree in community planning, and from

Brandeis University , mottoeng = "Truth even unto its innermost parts" , established = , type = Private research university , accreditation = NECHE , president = Ronald D. Liebowitz , ...

with a Ph.D. degree in urban policy, where he was assistant dean of students, in 1971. He was on the board of

Woods Fund of Chicago The Woods Fund of Chicago is a private independent foundation in Chicago, whose goal is to increase opportunities for less-advantaged people and communities in the Chicago metropolitan area, including the opportunity to shape decisions affecting th ...

. In 2004, he was arrested by police, but the charges were dismissed.HighBeam
/ref> He is married to professor Ayana Karanja; they have five children.

Awards

* 1993 MacArthur Fellows Program

References

External links

"Video Oral History Interview with Sokoni Karanja"
''History Makers'', January 7, 2005 {{DEFAULTSORT:Karanja, Sokoni Living people 1940 births People from Topeka, Kansas Washburn University alumni University of Denver alumni University of Cincinnati alumni Brandeis University faculty Brandeis University alumni MacArthur Fellows Developmental psychologists Clark Atlanta University alumni