Clyde W. Ford

Clyde W. Ford is an author, psychotherapist, mythologist, and public speaker whose career spans writing, psychotherapy, mythology, and social justice advocacy. Ford is the author of 15 works of fiction and nonfiction, and has contributed to the fields of mental health, African mythology, and African American history.

Ford earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and mathematics from Wesleyan University and worked as a systems engineer for IBM before completing a doctorate in chiropractic. He later undertook post-doctoral training in psychotherapy at the Synthesis Education Foundation of Massachusetts and the Psychosynthesis Institute of New York, eventually entering private practice as a chiropractor and psychotherapist.

Ford's writing career has evolved through several distinct and interconnected phases. He wrote his first book, "Where Healing Waters Meet," followed by "Compassionate Touch," both exploring the healing of emotional wounds through body-mind therapy. His hypothesis—that in traditional societies, myths were used to heal long-standing trauma—led him to turn to African culture, an area often overlooked in mythological studies. Drawing on his travels in West Africa, Ford explored ancient myths and their relevance to healing in contemporary societies. He compiled this research in "The Hero with an African Face," which examines ancient stories carved on rock walls dating back tens of thousands of years. In the early 2000s, Ford began writing fiction, believing it could reach audiences who might not pick up a work of nonfiction; his first novel was a nautical thriller, "Red Herring," featuring an African American maritime private investigator.

Ford has also focused on uncovering hidden chapters of African American history. His memoir, "Think Black," traces his experience as a systems engineer at IBM alongside his father's life as the first Black software engineer hired by the company. The book frames the story of race in America and explores the contrast between the slow change in race relations and the rapid pace of technological advancement. Ford received the Washington Center for the Book Award for "Think Black," as well as the Nautilus Book Award in Social Justice, and was named a finalist for the Goddard-Russo Prize in Social Justice. His book, "A High Price for Freedom: Raising Hidden Voices From the African-American Past," illuminates little-known figures from history, from Elizabeth Key's court case in the 1600s to the mission of the marches in Selma. Ford also serves as the director of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Library Publishing Project at HarperCollins.

Ford's accolades reflect his contributions to American literature and public discourse. He received the Zora Neale Hurston/Richard Wright Award in African American fiction, was honored as a Literary Lion by the King County Library System, was voted Best Writer of Bellingham, Washington by readers of Cascadia Weekly, and received the Bellingham Mayor's Arts Award in Literature. Ford has taught a variety of subjects at institutions in the United States and Europe, including Swahili at Columbia University, mathematics at the State University of New York, and African American history at Western Washington University. He has participated in hundreds of media interviews and has appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show, New Dimensions Radio, and National Public Radio. Ford has given more than 20 talks as a member of the Humanities Washington Speakers Bureau, reaching more than 2,000 people.