One of Chicago’s most stark advocates for mental health within the Black community has died.

Dr. Carl Bell, a South Side born and bred psychiatrist, died Friday at the age of 71. Bell is most widely known for his commitment to examining how violence and trauma affect development in Black children. As a National Institute of Mental Health international researcher, Bell also championed criminal and juvenile justice reform as well as violence prevention, reports the Chicago Sun-Times.

“His past motivated his work,” Tyra Taylor-Bell, his ex-wife, said. “He saw friends and classmates who never had a chance to grow up. Then he saw it in schools as an adult. He saw where the problems were, so he did something about it.”

Bell worked as a psychiatrist throughout Chicago and was a professor of psychiatry and public health at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, his most recent work centered on the “silent epidemic” of fetal alcohol exposure within the Black community with the 2018 book Fetal Alcohol Exposure in the African American Community. The Chicago Tribune reports he wrote more than 400 books and academic articles as a psychiatrist in Chicago.

Bell also served in the U.S. Navy and was a founding member and former board chairman of the National Commission on Correctional Health Care.

“He cared very deeply,” Taylor-Bell said. “He was empathetic.”

Bell’s son, William, also said his father was straightforward and very generous.

“He was devoted to people. His legacy is very wide, and it’s difficult to judge how much he really contributed. I just hope that others will continue the work or remember the work.”

Several people on Twitter paid their respects to Bell for paving the way for Black mental health care professionals.

When I became interested in studying #mentalhealth disparities in grad school, I went to talk to Dr. Carl Bell at the community mental health council. Since that day his authenticity and passion for the #africanamerican community have been an inspiration. Rest well, Dr. Bell – https://t.co/TWyjhgtgYd

— Inger BurnettZeigler (@ibzpsychphd) August 5, 2019

The field of psychiatry has lost a giant. It was my pleasure to be able to know and work with the renowned African American Psychiatrist, Dr. Carl Bell. https://t.co/ycz0ytqmBf

— Lacresha Hall, M.D (@lacreshahall) August 4, 2019

.@NationalMedAssn .@AmerMedicalAssn .@APAPsychiatric Received devastating news today that we lost Dr. Carl Bell, a major patient advocate, world renowned researcher & psychiatrist in my hometown Chicago. #RIP Tell your #mentors & teachers what they mean to you while they’re here. pic.twitter.com/JgRWpWZRkk

— Dionne (@lildocd) August 2, 2019

Sad, shocked, but so appreciative of the time Dr. Carl Bell spent supporting and teaching me. He was front row at my last presentation, but I will learn from him forever. https://t.co/lKkWyA6Y1O

— Dani Elle (@ADocNamedDani) August 2, 2019

Bell is survived by three children and one grandson.

Psychiatry

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