Early Years
Cornell West was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and was raised in Sacramento, California. He went on to attend Harvard University, where he graduated with honors in only three years, and later earned his Master of Arts in religion and Doctor of Philosophy in philosophy from Princeton University.
Personal Life
West married his long-time partner, civil rights attorney Dr. Christina Livingston, in September 2018. They have two children together.
Influences
Cornell West's influences are varied and include:
- Malcolm X
- Martin Luther King Jr.
- Ralph Ellison
- W.E.B. Du Bois
- James Baldwin
- Howard Thurman
- Toni Morrison
- Cornelius Plantinga Jr.
Career
West has held faculty positions at Princeton, Harvard, and the University of Paris.
Philosophy
Cornell West is an American philosopher and public intellectual who has had a major influence in the fields of philosophy and critical theory. He has written extensively on topics such as race, democracy, freedom, and justice. His work has also been featured in documentaries and has been praised for bringing philosophical discourse to the public realm. He is considered an important figure in the history of African American thought.
Critical Theory
Cornell West is a renowned critical theorist who has applied the ideas of Marx, Nietzsche, and Foucault to the analysis of race, inequality, and social justice. He has written extensively on postmodernism and its implications for racial justice and civil rights. He has also been a major influence on the Occupy Wall Street and Black Lives Matter movements, which have been inspired by his critical insights.
Leading Intellectual
As a leading American intellectual, Cornell West has been an influential voice in the African American community. He is a professor emeritus of African American Studies at Princeton University and a professor of philosophy and Christian practice at Union Theological Seminary. He has also published 19 books and numerous articles on topics such as race, politics, and social justice.
Impact in Pop Culture
Cornell West has been featured in multiple documentaries and has made appearances in television shows and movies. He has been featured in the documentary Examined Life and was a major influence in the Occupy Wall Street movement. He is also a vocal critic of the Obama administration and has been a major influence in the Black Lives Matter movement. His work has been celebrated by many and his vision is to inspire audiences to begin their own personal research.
Accomplishments
West is the author of 19 books and has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, and other publications. He has also produced several documentary films, including Examined Life, which features interviews with prominent philosophers.
