News Release

Champion for racial justice Cornel West lectures Oct. 23

October 8, 2008

Cornel West

One of America’s most provocative public intellectuals, Cornel West has been a champion for racial justice since childhood.

As a boy, West was greatly impressed by the Baptist church and was deeply touched by the stories of parishioners who, only two generations from slavery, told stories of blacks maintaining their religious faith during the most trying of times.

His writing, speaking, and teaching weave together the traditions of the black Baptist Church, progressive politics, and jazz. The New York Times has praised his “ferocious moral vision.”

West brings his message to the Scottish Rite Cathedral in Harrisburg at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23. His appearance is a major installment in Penn State Harrisburg’s 2008-09 lecture series entitled “The Anatomy of Social Justice: A Call to Action.” West’s presentation will include a “call to action” as it relates to health.

Hosted by the college’s Diversity and Educational Equity Committee (DEEC), the year-long public series is designed to support Penn State Harrisburg’s commitment to foster community dialog on issues while providing a forum for the exchange of diverse perspectives.

Dedicated to enhance the University and community climate for diversity, Penn State Harrisburg hosts a variety of programs through the year designed to foster collaboration and communication among all racial and ethnic groups to improve the quality of life in the region and on campus and an appreciation of all cultures.

Reflecting on its importance at the college, Director of Student Affairs Felicia Brown-Haywood says, “The diversity and inclusion programming at Penn State Harrisburg is a co-curricular function which provides a forum for living out the principles found in good citizenship, understanding yourself, and understanding others. The various events and activities give us a forum to recognize and appreciate diversity and the need for inclusion at the table for all.”

She continues, “There is a myriad of research supporting how diverse learning environments positively affect the critical thinking, civic commitment, and skill development to work in a global economy for all involved.”

Reflecting on the importance of Penn State Harrisburg extensive partnerships with the external community, she adds, “These programs and events augment our learning, creating a continuous educational exchange between the classroom and the community. Our community partners have enabled us to broaden our offerings and to reach out to the public with our programming.”

A complete listing of Penn State Harrisburg’s free public events – lectures, presentations, entertainment – is available by clicking on the calendar link at www.hbg.psu.edu.

Partnering with Penn State Harrisburg on West’s appearance and a day-long accompanying Black Male Summit is NGOZI, Inc. The summit will also feature a lecture by Dr.

Calvin Johnson, Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Health, in the morning.

Also supporting the West lecture are the American Cancer Society, Council for the Arts, and the college’s Student Activity Fee Fund and Multicultural Academic Excellence Program.

Tickets priced at $45, $35, and $25 will be available through the Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts.

Currently the Class of 1943 Professor at Princeton University, West burst onto the national scene in 1993 with his bestselling book, Race Matters, a searing analysis of racism in American democracy. Race Matters has become a contemporary classic, selling more than a half million copies to date. In addition, he has published 16 other books and has edited 13 texts.

West earned his bachelor’s degree from Harvard in three years, magna cum laude. Martin Kilson, one of his professors there, describes West as “the most intellectually aggressive and highly cerebral student I have taught.” After earning his Ph.D. at Princeton, he became a professor of religion and director of the Afro-American studies program there. West has also taught at Union Theological Seminary, Yale, Harvard, and the University of Paris.

In his last book, Democracy Matters, a follow-up to Race Matters, West returns to the analysis of the arrested development of democracy – both in America and the crisis-ridden Middle East. He argues that if America is to become a better steward of democratization around the world, it must first wake up to the long history of imperialism that has plagued its own democracy.

His latest CD, Never Forget: A Journey of Revelations, is a collection of socially conscious music featuring collaborations with Prince, Outkast, Jill Scott, and Talib Kewli. West also offers commentary weekly on the Tavis Smiley Show from PRI.

West’s first book, Prophesy Deliverance!, advocates a socially concerned African American Christianity that draws from Marxism. He also authored The African-American Century: How Black Americans Have Shaped Our Century (with Henry Louis Gates Jr.) and two volumes on public policy issues – The Future of American Progressivism (with Roberto Under) and The War Against Parents (with Sylvia Ann Hewlett).

West was an influential force in developing the storyline for the popular Matrix movie trilogy and has served as its official spokesperson, as well as playing a recurring role in the final two films.