American Book Awards
1 appearances
-
Edition 14 (1993) Winner
Cornel West
コーネル・ウェスト
Kōneru Wesuto
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1953-06-02 （Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.）
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Religion
- Baptist / Christian faith
- Residence History
- Sacramento, California, U.S. (grew up) → New Haven, Connecticut, U.S. (Yale) → Princeton, New Jersey, U.S. (faculty) → Cambridge (Harvard), Massachusetts, U.S. → New York City (Union Theological Seminary, etc.)
Career
- Occupations
- philosopher, theologian, political activist, politician, social critic, public intellectual, professor, author
- Active Years
- 1973-2025
- Affiliations
- Democratic Socialists of America (honorary chair, etc.), Network of Spiritual Progressives (co-founder)
- Memberships
- American Philosophical Society, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Omicron Delta Kappa (honorary member)
- Influenced By
- Richard Rorty, James Cone, Malcolm X, W. E. B. Du Bois
- Influenced
- Leah Hunt-Hendrix (doctoral student), Contemporary public intellectuals and activists (broad influence)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harvard University | Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations | Undergraduate (Harvard College) | BA (magna cum laude) | 1970–1973 | United States |
| Princeton University | Philosophy | Graduate (Philosophy) | MA, PhD | 1973–1980 | United States |
Harvard University
Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations
/ Undergraduate (Harvard College)
Degree:
BA (magna cum laude)
Period:
1970–1973
Year of Graduation:
1973
Country:
United States
Graduated magna cum laude
Princeton University
Philosophy
/ Graduate (Philosophy)
Degree:
MA, PhD
Period:
1973–1980
Year of Graduation:
1980
Country:
United States
Dissertation: 'Ethics, Historicism and the Marxist Tradition'
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | American Book Award | — | — | Before Columbus Foundation (awarding body) | 受賞 |
| 2008 | World Cultural Council Special Recognition | — | — | World Cultural Council | 受賞（特別表彰） |
American Book Award
Organization:
Before Columbus Foundation (awarding body)
Result:
受賞
World Cultural Council Special Recognition
2008
Organization:
World Cultural Council
Result:
受賞（特別表彰）
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Race Matters
1993 social commentary / political philosophyA collection of essays addressing race in American society, analyzing the Black condition and proposing philosophical and political responses.
racejusticeidentity
Democracy Matters
2004 political philosophy / social commentaryA critique of threats to democratic life and a call to revive public-mindedness in American politics and education.
democracyeducationcivic life
The Ethical Dimensions of Marxist Thought
1991 philosophy / ethicsBased on his dissertation, this academic work examines historicism and ethical aspects of Marxist thought.
ethicshistoricismMarxism
The Rich and the Rest of Us: A Poverty Manifesto
2012 social commentary / politicsCo-authored with Tavis Smiley, it diagnoses poverty and inequality in America and offers policy and moral arguments.
povertyinequalitypolicy
Bibliography
- Prophesy Deliverance! An Afro-American Revolutionary Christianity (1982)
- The Ethical Dimensions of Marxist Thought (1991)
- Race Matters (1993)
- Keeping Faith: Philosophy and Race in America (1994)
- Democracy Matters (2004)
- The Cornel West Reader (1999)
- The Rich and the Rest of Us: A Poverty Manifesto (with Tavis Smiley, 2012)
- Black Prophetic Fire (2014)
- The Radical King (2016)
- Truth Matters (with Robert P. George, 2025)
Adaptations
- The Matrix Reloaded — film appearance (Councilor West)
- The Matrix Revolutions — film appearance (Councilor West)
- Documentary 'Examined Life' — appearance
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- eloquent, prophetic, incorporating religious metaphors and jazz-like rhythmoscillates between academic and popular-audience modes
- Recurring Motifs
- race and justicedemocracy and civic engagementfaith and ethicspoverty and inequality
Health
-
prostate cancer (surgery)2001–2002Underwent treatment and surgery, recovered and continued public work
Legacy
Cornel West is a public intellectual who situated African American thought in contemporary discourse, influencing academia, politics, and culture. Through works like 'Race Matters', teaching and media appearances, he contributed to debates on race, democracy, and ethics.
Academic Societies
- American Philosophical Society
- American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Archives
- Princeton University and other institutional archives (papers, lecture materials)
In Popular Culture
- Presence in The Matrix films, documentaries, and collaborations with hip-hop artists has penetrated popular culture
Quotes
-
Obama has become 'a black mascot of Wall Street oligarchs and a black muppet of corporate plutocrats.'
Source: Interview (2011) (2011) -
We're talking about a democratic awakening. Power must be transferred from oligarchs to everyday people.
Source: Remarks related to 'The Rich and the Rest of Us' / public discussions (2012)
Trivia
- Considered one of the first African Americans to earn a PhD in philosophy from Princeton University.
- Has released hip-hop/spoken-word albums and collaborated with musicians.
- Ran a third-party / independent bid related to the 2024 U.S. presidential election (formed the Justice For All Party).