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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: Afordlove on 10/27/2009 11:40PM
Once again Blacks are fighting within there own race....When are we as a people going to become Angry at ourself for being so self center that we can't even Communicate within ourself. We continue to lift eveyone other race up and show them the way, but continue to shoot eachother down with the stroke of a pen...Bill Cosby is right when he said Come On People.... That means Black People take a look at yourself first before you come out of your home and point the finger at another Black Person..Amen.
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By: Stacy on 10/29/2009 2:00AM
I agree with some of the things Cornell says and, for the the things I don't I simply don't!! But, I cannot bring myself to the level of feeling I need to attack him verbally. I can believe that blacks are attacking him and other important figures, because let's face it: we black people have not and will not stick together. Just the same old infighting and back biting that has gotten us where??? Europeans don't all like and agree with each other. However, they know how to stick together. Doesn't history teach us anything??? As Malcolm X stated "history is best qualified to reward OUR RESEARCH"
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By: sammy on 10/29/2009 5:11PM
Sorry Stacy, but West may be important where you live and in his own mind, but he IS NOT an important figure to black people as a whole.
Unless you consider someone who uses a few five dollar words as being important.
Tell me what West has done for black people. Something concrete like turoring youn men to keep it in their pants and not father 21 children with 11 different unmarried girls. Like after school programs to teach students how to speak the english language. Like bring jobs to the black community. Like building something.
Not like throwing around a few big words.
And using five dollar words do not count.
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By: PrinceNoirAmericain on 10/30/2009 4:42AM
We do not know what Cornel West does for the Black community. We do not know his level of commitment as it pertains to actively tackling some of the problems with which we are confronted. Basically, what I am saying is that we do not know what he does "behind stage". It is hard to be critical of a brother whose concrete actions are not known by the general public. However, he does serve as a powerful voice for the Black community...not only for Black folk but for all minorities in the heart of the American empire. The problem is that very often, we expect our intellectuals to trek through the ghettos giving brothers and sisters speeches on the importance of education, the need to break the cycle of violence in which so many are trapped and lectures promoting abstinence before marriage lol. This is precisely why we will never make any progress, we expect too much from others. For me, Cornel West represents a call to action, to individual action. We will never come together as a collective force, however, if we take individual action to effect needed change in our communities, we will witness notable improvements.
The next time you run into brothers and sisters strung out on crack, 15 year old children with 2 babies, drug dealers, prostitutes, etc, ask yourself the following questions: what have I done to help my community? What concrete actions have I taken? If the answer to these 2 questions is "nothing", then you are part of the problem, real talk.
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