Cornel West has always taken controversy in stride.
The former Harvard University professor recently was accused of inflating student grades and criticized for recording a self-described “hip-hop” CD, writing pop culture books instead of academic books and supporting the Rev. Al Sharpton’s presidential campaign.
Despite the controversy, West has become a prominent social activist, weaving together references from fiction, hip-hop, jazz and philosophy to illustrate many forms of oppression — sexism, homophobia, classism and racism.
In commemoration of the life and legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., West will speak Monday at 11 a.m. at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall.
“Dr. West’s body of work covers a broad spectrum of ideas and topics that he can speak on concerning the legacy of Dr. King,” said Cooke, a member of Northwestern’s Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Committee. “I think that he is probably one of the premier intellects of our day and can speak in a way that is going to be easily understandable and powerful.”
Professor, philosopher, theologian and social activist, West, 49, wrote the 1993 bestseller “Race Matters.” In the book, West closely examines the American black community at the time of the 1992 Los Angeles race riots.
“He’s a name a lot of people will know, and he’s written and spoken a lot about race in the country,” said committee member Ava Greenwell, associate dean of the Medill School of Journalism. “We decided that he would be an excellent speaker.”
West received his bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and his master’s degree and Ph.D. from Princeton University. He currently teaches religion at Princeton and has lectured at numerous schools, including Harvard and Yale University.
He left Harvard to teach at Princeton last spring following a dispute with Harvard President Larry Summers.
“(West) did not agree with some things going on professionally with the treatment of the African-American faculty and decided he could make a better contribution for his faculty in his current position at Princeton,” said Carretta Cooke, NU’s director of African-American Student Affairs. “It’s a decision a lot of faculty members make when they no longer agree with university policy.”
NU didn’t balk at the criticisms of West. The committee contacted West’s agent more than a year ago to ensure his participation as NU’s keynote speaker.
West’s speech Monday, also titled “Race Matters,” will address a variety of racial issues, such as affirmative action, according to members of the MLK Day Committee.
“I think he will adequately illustrate the impact of Dr. King’s legacy for everyone,” Cooke said. “I think it’s going to be a very powerful day and I am really looking forward to him coming.”
