Posted Febraury 7, 2008 -- It is quite possible that Dr. CORNEL WEST is the best-known African-American public intellectual. West, a Princeton University professor and highly regarded scholar of religion, African-American studies and philosophy, uses his unique voice to tackle the most provocative political and social issues and to spark a national dialogue on race.
He is a prolific academic, having penned 17 books, including the best-selling Race Matters and Democracy Matters, but his appeal stretches outside of academia into popular culture. He has three spoken-word CDs (the most recent is Never Forget: A Journey of Revelations, which he hopes will inspire a shift in hip-hop’s emphasis) and appeared in two of the three Matrix films.
Much of West’s appeal comes from his willingness to take public discourse on politically charged topics – such as the “N”-word, the war in Iraq and homophobia – where few others have dared to go. “It’s very important to have a sense of history,” he said recently, “especially for the younger people.” It is West’s penchant for keeping the focus on hot-button issues and his dedication to academic pursuits that make him the 2008 BET HONORS choice for Education.