When a white mayoral candidate in St. Petersburg, FL referred to the city's black deputy mayor as an "H.N.I.C" on an Oct. 13 radio show, she was quoting Princeton professor Dr. Cornel West. "The time is past for black political and intellectual leaders to pose as the voice for black America....The days of brokering for the black turf--of posing as the Head Negro in Charge (H.N.I.C.) are over," West wrote in his seminal book on American race relations, 'Race Matters.'
West's words were written in the context of where African American leadership was in 1993, a year after the Los Angeles riots smacked America in the face with its race problems. Democrat Kathleen Ford reportedly said she used them to make the point that if she is mayor, the black community won't need a liaison like deputy mayor Goliath Davis to communicate with her. Naturally, the HNIC reference didn't go over well with many in the St. Petersburg black community (you know what the "negro" becomes when it's said behind closed doors).
Right around the time that Ford was putting her foot in her mouth, the renowned intellectual she quoted was actually sitting in the Black Voices studio giving us his current take on black leadership, and what happens when you put "negros" in charge.
"Most of the black leadership has gone into the electoral political system," said West, "with brother Barack Obama at the very top...but that kind of leadership tends to devour the other forms of leadership." Without the media spotlight and backing of the power establishment, he explained, local activists can't get the visibility they need to effectively push for better schools and housing, and fewer prisons.
Check out the video above to hear more of West's wisdom on the state of black leadership.
And in the video below, he answers the question we couldn't wait to ask: What happened to the sense of outrage that used to inspire African Americans --especially the youth -- to fight for change?
Of his own sense of outrage, West said, "[As a child] I was full of rage, and I still am. And I still have gangster proclivities, actually right now, but I'm just able to keep it under control with my Christian faith and my love of the life of the mind, and music." The story of how he channeled his rage into academic success is covered in West's memoir, 'Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud.' It was written with David Ritz and published by the SmileyBooks imprint of Hay House.
Do you agree with Brother West's views on black leadership and what happened to the fight for change?
Comments: (24)
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By: Sharon on 10/25/2009 11:55AM
Dr. Cornel West is conveying the truth. If people would listen and analyze what he is saying, positive results would take effect in regards to the evergrowing disregard of human beings.
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By: Taure on 10/28/2009 3:16PM
West is a bubblehead.
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By: Cooki on 10/26/2009 12:50AM
Cornel West is not the voice of all black people so I don't know where he gets off with his ranting. Who made him the H.N.I.C.? He and Tavis Smiley have become so full of themselves that they thoroughly enjoy hearing themselves speak. Every year Tavis has the State of the Black Union discussions which often features Cornel West and besides talking about change, what have they done to make change happen? At least President Obama was man enough to step up to the challenge...during times of two wars and a recession. Where were Tavis and West? Shooting off their fat lips all about doing nothing. Talk is cheap...be about it. Like my Grandmother used to say, "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything." Cornel, go sit down and be quiet!!!
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By: Lee on 10/26/2009 11:03AM
How in the world can black men who are married to non black women think that they can speak for the rest of us. I just don't get it. The black community is made up of black men,women and their children, not black men and their non black wives. This is so silly. Yes, folks have valid points, but do you really give a darn about us? Come on!
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By: slick tee on 10/27/2009 5:33PM
Dr West probably represents more in substance and visual motivation for many people of color. He speaks like the highly educated man he is. Who just happens to be Black. He talks about the reality of the minority life in todays world. He fears no reprisal or fear of expressing what every minority person knows. If YOU cant help a minority whose talking and trying to mentor your children and family in positive dialog, Why hate him.
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By: sammy on 10/27/2009 8:28PM
Cooki: You have ask some of the same questions that I have been asking for years.
The answer is that that these self-appointed or white corporate appointed H.N.I.C. don't do anything for the black community. Unless you call hosting the latest State of Black fill in the blank, followed by sipping cheap wine and eating cheese spread on crackers, as helping the black community.
These people operate ONLY for the benefit of the white corporate power structure. Any ideas they spout are just blowing hot air, nothing more.
You can't name a single tutoring program, job-training program, mentoring program or anything else concrete that they have done. They are not in the black community doing the dirty work.
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By: Lad on 10/26/2009 10:49AM
Unfortunately I could not hear Mr.Wests comments as the I.T. dept. here at work thinks thats bad for me, so my comments will only be about Ms. Ford.
To those berating Ms. Ford, calm down, back away from yourself. Are we getting so on guard looking for racism that we will take someone's word out of context just to make it happen???
Dr. West writes it in a book-ok, Ms. Ford paraphrases the SAME book-Call out the dogs, someone MAY have just made a racial slurr.
"the HNIC reference didn't go over well with many in the St. Petersburg black community (you know what the "negro" becomes when it's said behind closed doors)."
Now we get offended by conjecture !!!???
People, there is enough to get upset about in life; taxes will go up, dollar is worth less, Rams can't win a game, more reality shows are coming this fall, the list goes on and on. Let's save the righteous indignation for something real lest we start to look like idoits.
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By: dginki on 10/26/2009 12:41PM
Lad,
please just stop. What Ms. Ford said was necessary give it a break. If I said anything about someone Jewish in that manner or someone Hispanic, there would be an uproar. You know it and I know it, but you would not dare to respond to either community as you did here.
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By: cptwatson on 10/26/2009 5:36PM
Does Princeton University have a dental care plan?
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By: BLACKMQQN on 10/26/2009 2:58PM
EVEN THE BLACK INTELLECT THINK OF US AS CHILDREN WHO NEEDS THEIR GUIDANCE. CORNELL WEST, EVERY TIME I SEE THAT BROTHER ON A TELEVISION SHOW I SIMPLY CHANGE THE CHANNEL.
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