ICP is saddened with the death of Dr. Florence Denmark, long time member, friend, mentor, and past president. Her grace, vision, and persistence in working across peoples, places, and contexts have served as a model and inspiration for generations of fellow psychologists.
Dr. Denmark was ICP president in 1989, and served as ICP’s Main Representative to the United Nations from 2010 until 2021. She founded ICP’s Denmark-Gunvald award, which celebrates feminist research, and was co-organizer of ICP’s 2017 annual conference in New York.
We invite Florence Denmark’s many friends and colleagues to add their words and photos to this tribute page. Please click here to add a comment/photo.
My relationship with Florence started when I was a doctoral student at PACE University. Shortly after starting the program, my toddler son came to school with me one day. Upon meeting Florence, she told him to call her grandma Flo. Years later he was honored to have her at his Bar Mitzvah. At the end of my first year in the doctoral program, I almost dropped out because I doubted my ability to complete the program. At that point in time, I picked up my final paper from Florence and there was a note on it. Florence wrote that she enjoyed the paper and asked if she could have a copy of it. I decided to stay in the program because I figured if Florence liked my paper so much to ask for a copy of it, that maybe I had what it took to stay in the program. Florence then became my consultant on my dissertation. After I graduated, Florence became my mentor and then a treasured friend. As a mentor and as a friend she always gently nudged me to advance my career. At times, she believed in me more than I did. Because of her gentle nudging to put my experiences and expertise into books, I have authored/co-authored 4 books. I am thankful that she saw my latest book before she passed away. I am so glad that I was able to travel to visit her last year. We spent the weekend catching up and it was wonderful spending quality time with her. Florence made the world a better place with her knowledge, passion, kindness, friendships and her beautiful smile.
Florence Alderman
Although my interactions with Florence were limited to several conversations at APA conventions and ICP gatherings, she made a lasting impression on me. I was always struck by her warmth, gracious personality, and genuine interest in others. Her pioneering contributions and remarkable leadership have enriched psychology and inspired generations of psychologists around the world. I feel privileged to have known her, even briefly, and extend my heartfelt condolences to her family, friends, and colleagues. She will be greatly missed.
Toshi Sasao
I am deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Florence Denmark. She was not only a mentor to her students, but also to many ICP members. I had the opportunity to contribute an article on “Female genital mutilation” to one of the books she edited: “Violence against Girls and Women: An International Perspective” (2013) together with Janet Sigal and a paper “ICP at the United Nations in Vienna” to another book edited by Harald Takooshian, Florence Denmark, Uwe Gielen and Annmarie O’Roark: “Visions and resources for international psychology: 75 years of the International Council of Psychologists” (2018). I was also, under her leadership until now, a member of the UN in Vienna in the Committee on the Family and the Committee on the Status of Women.
I want to express my deepest condolences to her family and all ICP members who will miss her.
Roswith Roth, Austria