World Literary Awards

← Back to Home

Nathan Hare

ネイサン・ヘア

Nathan Hare

Aliases: Nathaniel Hare

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1933-04-09 （Slick, Creek County, Oklahoma, U.S.）
Died
2024-06-10 （San Francisco, California, U.S.） age 91
Nationality
United States
Languages
English
Residence History
Slick, Creek County, Oklahoma (birthplace) → San Diego, California (childhood) → San Francisco, California (later life)

Career

Occupations
sociologist, activist, psychologist, academic, editor, author
Active Years
1961-2024
Affiliations
Howard University (faculty), San Francisco State University (founder/coordinator, Black Studies), The Black Scholar (founder/publisher), Black Think Tank (co-founder)
Influenced By
Melvin B. Tolson (poet, professor)
Influenced
The field of Black Studies (institutionalization of African American/ethnic studies), Students and activists (e.g., Stokely Carmichael)

Education

Langston University
Sociology (BA)
Degree: BA
Country: United States
Attended with work-study arrangements; only institution admitting Black students in Oklahoma at the time
University of Chicago
Sociology (MA, PhD)
Degree: MA, PhD
Period: 1950年代-1962
Year of Graduation: 1962
Country: United States
Earned MA (1957) and PhD (1962) in sociology
California School of Professional Psychology
Clinical Psychology (PhD)
Degree: PhD
Country: United States
Later earned a PhD in clinical psychology and established a private practice

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

The Black Anglo-Saxons

1965 Non-fiction / Social criticism

A critical analysis of the Black elite and university structures in the U.S., examining contradictions in education and status for Black Americans.

educationcritique of Black eliteinstitutional critique

Contemporary Black Thought (co-edited)

1973 Edited volume / Essays

An edited collection presenting contemporary Black thought with contributions from a range of writers and scholars.

Black thoughtpoliticsculture

Pan-Africanism (co-edited)

1974 Edited volume / History & politics

An edited book collecting essays on Pan-Africanism, addressing international Black movements and ideas.

Pan-Africanisminternational solidarityBlack movements

The Endangered Black Family

1984 Sociology / Family studies

Analyzes challenges facing Black families and discusses family renewal, education, and community solutions (co-authored).

familyeducationcommunity

Bringing the Black Boy to Manhood: the Passage

1985 Sociology / Rites of passage

Proposes rites of passage for Black boys and offers practical guidance for transition to adulthood (co-authored).

rites of passageyouth supporteducation

Crisis in Black Sexual Politics

1989 Sociology / Sexual politics

Examines issues of sex and politics within the Black community (co-authored).

sexpoliticscommunity

Fire on Mount Zion: An Autobiography of the Tulsa Race Riot (as told by Mabel B. Little)

1990 History / Oral history

Collects oral histories related to the Tulsa Race Riot; Hare contributed as editor/co-author.

historyracial violencememory

The Miseducation of the Black Child: The Hare Plan to Educate Every Black Man, Woman and Child

1991 Education

Presents a plan for educational reform aimed at improving education for Black children and communities.

education reformBlack children

The Black Agenda

2002 Politics / Policy

Summarizes challenges facing Black communities and offers policy recommendations and action plans (co-authored).

policycommunity development

Bibliography

  • The Black Anglo-Saxons (1965)
  • Contemporary Black Thought (ed., 1973)
  • Pan-Africanism (ed., 1974)
  • The Endangered Black Family (1984, co-authored)
  • Bringing the Black Boy to Manhood (1985, co-authored)
  • Crisis in Black Sexual Politics (1989, co-authored)
  • Fire on Mount Zion (1990, editor/co-author)
  • The Miseducation of the Black Child (1991)
  • The Black Agenda (2002)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Essayistic, evidence-based social analysisArgued, activist-oriented prose with a clear ethical stance
Recurring Motifs
education reformBlack family and community renewalPan-Africanism and international solidarityBlack self-determination and critique of power structures

Legacy

Nathan Hare was a pioneer in institutionalizing Black Studies in the United States, raising issues of race, family, and education through both scholarship and activism. His founding of The Black Scholar and establishment of the Black Studies program at San Francisco State had lasting academic and public impact.

Quotes

  • He used the phrase "The Ebony Tower" to characterize and critique the position of Black elites within university structures.
    Source: The Black Anglo-Saxons (1965) and related writings (1965)

Trivia

  • Married Julia Ann Reed in 1956; Julia collaborated as co-author and died in 2019.
  • In 1968 he was hired to coordinate the United States' first Black Studies program at San Francisco State University.
  • Co-founded the journal The Black Scholar with Robert Chrisman in 1969 and served as publisher from 1969 to 1975.
  • Later earned a PhD in clinical psychology and maintained a private psychotherapy practice in San Francisco and Oakland.
  • Reportedly had no children.