LOIS MCFADYEN CHRISTENSEN & TAKISHA DURM

34. CORNEL R. WEST

An Intellectual Soul of Justice and Compassion

To be human you must bear witness to justice. Justice is what love looks like in public—to be human is to love and be loved. West, 2008, p. 181

Educator, philosopher, and Christian activist Cornel R. West (2008) describes himself as man “cut against the grain” (p. 70). Holding the rare status of both a Harvard and Princeton alumnus, West embodies the work of a passionate scholar, voracious reader, and critical pedagogue. He is inspired by the magic and tradition of myriad melodies of music. Paulo Freire (1998) reminds us that a central ingredient of critical pedagogy is radical love, which implies movement toward freedom. It is in the vain of being influenced by the work of Freire, that a radical love permeates West’s work (Kirylo, 2011).

EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION

Born in Oklahoma but reared in California, Cornel West—“Corn” for short—grew up close to and in the shadow of his older brother Cliff. In his younger years, his family called him Ronnie, as Ronald is his middle name. Even at a young age, West demonstrated resistant tendencies; as a third grader, he refused to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Because of this protest, he was: slapped by the teacher; paddled by the principal; and forced to face his parents once he arrived home. Although West claimed what he did what was right, his mother— who served as a former teacher and principal—cried about the episode. His father gave him a whipping. Only his brother Cliff consoled and attempted to reason with him. An admitted inner bully resided inside West, but to some, it appeared as if a “Robin Hood” mythological figure drove his thinking. While this inner- gnawing rage infiltrated his being, he was tempered by his abilities as a voracious reader and a brilliant violinist. As if that were not impressive enough, he spent his spare time sharpening his skills as a track star. West’s parents realized that their son was multi- gifted, so they moved to Sacramento, California in an attempt to provide the best opportunities—not only for him—for all their children. A significant life- changing episode occurred when his pastor, Willie P. Cooke, baptized Cornel. On that special

James D. Kirylo (Ed.), A Critical Pedagogy of Resistance: 34 Pedagogues We Need to Know, 133–136. © 2013 Sense Publishers. All rights reserved. L. M. CHRISTENSEN & T. DURM day, his grandfather prayed over his grandson, prompting a transcendent, sacred event that seemingly transformed his rage. To keep Corn challenged, they encouraged him to continue reading and they also tried to make sure he had the best teachers at John F. Kennedy High School. West graduated at the top of his high school senior class and went on to study at Harvard. There he matriculated through his undergraduate program in only three years. Three foundational components frame West’s constitution: family, a Socratic spirituality in pursuit of truth, and his Christian commitment to the principles of love and justice. Overlaying that constitution, music of every genre is part and parcel to his being, particularly lit by the artistry of John Coltrane (West, 2009).

EDUCATIONAL CAREER

Shortly after his studies at Harvard, West joined the faculty at Union Theological Seminary in New York. He remained there for eight years. Later he enrolled at Princeton. West focused his dissertation research on the ethical aspects of Marxism and liberation theology and how these theories linked to Christ’s love for people in poverty and to the social, economic, and political arenas of life. As a basis for his research agenda, the spirit of West’s dissertation became the heart and soul of his life. West argued that while Karl Marx focused on concepts related to economics and the life of the proletariat, Marx maintained a social and spiritual perspective of Lutheranism. For West, Christianity and his love for music, coupled with critical philosophical and ethical constructs would constructively impact social conditions for human beings, especially people in poverty and of color (hooks & West; West, 2001). After completing his studies at Princeton, West proceeded to teach at Harvard. Because of a fracture with the administration at Harvard, he taught for a short while at Yale. Eventually, West landed a teaching post in the African American Studies Center at Princeton. It stands to reason that West’s association with James H. Cone and James Washington at Union Theological Seminary strongly influenced his blend of Christianity and social justice. These series of events certainly motivated him to maintain his association with Union Theological Seminary (West, 2009). Indeed, West recently returned to Union Theological Seminary in New York as Professor of philosophy and Christian practice in 2012.

DIVERSE MORAL COMPASS

In his best- selling book, Race Matters (1993), which was released following the one- year anniversary of the Rodney King police beating in Los Angeles, California, West argued the largely male, justified indignation that took place following the verdict could be characterized as “social rage” (p. 3). West cogently recounted historical and sociological prevalent perspectives among Caucasians toward African Americans, and particularly underscored the oppressive forces at work projected onto African

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