I often contemplate what history books will say about the time we live in now. Neo-Nazis marching freely through the streets, gun control such a controversial topic even as mass shootings become the norm, a global lack of empathy as wars rage with children as the casualties. It’s hard to fathom that events like these that we see in the news, and even aspects of our day-to-day lives that have become normal, are all a part of the fabric of history that will be told in later times. In this political climate, the topic of history is often brought up as a means to say that none of this tragedy is new. It has been around for a long time and will most likely be around for longer still. Still, this begs the question, why are we still dealing with challenges that faced us more than 50 years ago? Those before us fought and died to have their voices heard, even hailed as heroes in American culture, however the very things they fought for are still relevant today. This question, among others, were on my mind as Dr. Cornel West gave the Opening Lecture of the Black History Month celebration in Battell Chapel on February 3rd–in honor of the 25th anniversary of his classic book Race Matters.
Before this talk I did not know much about Dr. West. I only knew whispers of him, but his words gave me inspiration to learn more about him. As an intellectual scholar, Dr. West’s reputation preceded him. He is known as an expert in the relations of race, gender, and class. He is a deeply spiritual man who is known for his deep commitment to love and justice. He is an author of more than 20 books, a professor, and an activist.
One of the most exciting parts of the talk was when he spoke about mass incarceration and the economic discrimination behind it. “What if our Jack and Jill brothers and sisters got locked up at the same rates as [Lakeisha and Jamal]?” This would surely present different outcomes and different complaints. The war and similar hypocrisy that has been present in Gaza was also brought up. Dr. West’s stance was along the line of we can’t only talk about the health and wellbeing of children here when there are children in war torn countries dying at much higher rates because of our control. The wide range of topics he touched on kept everyone interested and intrigued. He used phrases such as “get off the crack pipe” to express phenomenon that just didn’t–and shouldn’t–make sense to him. His talk was extremely intersectional with him talking about the differences women, non-Christian, and poor people faced that were different from others. Hearing such from an older black man was extremely refreshing.
Dr. West called this moment in history one of the “bleakest since the Civil War”. It’s often difficult to focus on the good and ignore all the issues going on today. The parallels to a time his book told about is uncanny. Race Matters was a book born out of a time not very different from the one we live in now. Published a year after the Rodney King Race Riots in 1992, the book “helped shape political discourse in the country”. It contains commentary on a variety of topics that tell of the black experience in America. It contains quotes from other black scholars like Malcolm X and James Baldwin and gives possible solutions to experiences like child poverty. Like his talk, Dr. West’s book is very self-aware. He notes from the lens where he is able to speak through and tries to use that privilege to speak up for others who aren’t given such a chance. In a world where black and brown bodies are still brutalized and our humanity is still in question, hearing from a man who had seen this world more than I have, was exactly what I needed.
Dr. West’s talk was timely. It was funny. It was hopeful. My favorite quote from the event was “every generation of truth tellers ends up catching hell”. That sentence spoke to my inner dilemma. Since this talk, I have started reading Race Matters. The way people spoke of the book with such reverence intrigued me. And I must say, it is living up to the hype.
Azaria King (BK’20)
