Activist and scholar Cornel West, professor of religion and African American Studies at Princeton University, will be the featured speaker at 8:45 p.m. Jan. 23 during the University of Pittsburgh Black Action Society's 2008 Black Week celebration in the William Pitt Union (WPU) Ballroom, 3959 Fifth Ave., Oakland. The lecture is free and open to the public.
The Class of 1943 Professor at Princeton, West has been called one of America's most provocative public intellectuals. He is known for his book “Race Matters” (Beacon Press, 1993), which is credited with changing the dialogue on race, justice, and democracy. The book has sold more than 400,000 copies.
In addition to “Race Matters,” West is the author of numerous articles and books, including “The American Evasion of Philosophy: A Genealogy of Pragmatism” (University of Wisconsin Press, 1989), “Keeping Faith: Philosophy and Race in America” (Routledge, 1993), “Restoring Hope: Conversations on the Future of Black America” (Beacon Press, 1997), “The Cornel West Reader” (Basic Civitas Books, 1999), and his most recent book “Democracy Matters: Winning the Fight Against Imperialism” (Penguin, 2004).
West earned the AB degree magna cum laude in three years at Harvard University in 1973 and the Master of Arts and PhD degrees at Princeton University in 1975 and 1980 respectively. He has taught at Harvard University, Union Theological Seminary, Yale Divinity School, and the University of Paris.
Other Black Week events include a city-wide service day to honor Martin Luther King Jr., beginning at 8 a.m. Jan. 21 in 830 WPU for assignments at the Center for Creative Play and the Jubilee Soup Kitchen; a forum, “Where Are We Now? and Where Are We Going?” at 8:45 p.m. Jan. 22 in the WPU Ballroom; a talent show, BAS Got Talent at 8 p.m.; and the Black Week After Party at 11 p.m. Jan. 25 in the WPU Assembly Room.
For more information, call 412-648-7880 or visit www.pitt.edu/~sorc/bas/.
(The above is the press release from the University.)
