At a very young age, his family moved to Minneapolis where they remained until White's mother sent him to San Francisco to live with his aunt after completing high school.
[1] White only intended to work as a waiter; however, his aunt, Reverend Margaret Brown suggested that he go to college.
[3] White died on 21 November 2017 from a heart attack on a plane while flying to visit his family in St. Louis, Missouri for Thanksgiving.
White was always a good athlete in high school and that earned him a job working at a playground in a city neighborhood.
While his main field of study was clinical psychology, White focused a lot of his attention on aiding and supporting disadvantaged students of color in their path to acquire knowledge by developing curriculum that caters to the needs of students of color.
White had worked as a psychologist to five hospitals and three clinics in Southern California and over the years had served as a consultant for school districts, universities, private organizations, drug prevention programs, and government agencies.
[14] In 1994, White was awarded a Citation of Achievement in Psychology and Community Service from President Bill Clinton.
Joseph White was Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of California, Irvine where he spent most of his career.
White was also the recipient of the honorary degree Doctor of Laws from the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota.
This is the highest award given to individuals who are distinguished for their accomplishment in cultural affairs, public service or a field of knowledge and scholarship.