Cornel West
American philosopher, political activist and writer · United States · On the map · Academics · Born 1953 · age 73
Cornel Ronald West is an American philosopher, theologian, political activist, politician, social critic, and public intellectual. West was an independent candidate in the 2024 United States presidential election and is an outspoken voice in left-wing politics in the United States.
Cornel West is read about 830 times a day, in 30 languages.
A typical day, 30 days to 9 November 2026
The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 400 days, one point a day.
Something wrong?A life in dates
Donald Trump 6 moreCandidate“We’re at such a low point in the .”In their wordsSpeaking to Chris Hedges about his decision to run for president in 2024. Chris Hedges: Dr. Cornel West Announces He Is Running for2021“With a few glorious and glaring exceptions, the shadow of Jim Crow was cast in its new glittering form expressed in the language of superficial diversity...”In their words13 July 2021Quoted in Civil rights activist Cornel West resigns from Harvard, By Jackie Salo, New York Post“The most taboo issue on U.S. campuses these days, in many instances, has to do with the vicious Israeli occupation of precious Palestinians.”In their words10 March 2021Speaking in Too Radical for Harvard? Cornel West on Failed Fight for Tenure, Biden’s First 50 Days & More, Democracy Now!“It’s time for me to go back to the great Union Theological Seminary. That’s my institutional home, my brother.”In their words10 March 2021Speaking in Too Radical for Harvard? Cornl West on Failed Fight for Tenure, Biden’s First 50 Days & More, Democracy Now!2019“Well, as you know, I was blessed to do over a hundred events for my dear brother [Bernie Sanders].”In their words7 March 2019Quoted in: Cornel West on Bernie, Trump, and Racism, The Intercept, Mehdi Hasan2009“Justice is what love looks like in public.”In their wordsBrother West (2009), p. 232Honorary Degree from Spelman CollegeAward2005Lannan Cultural Freedom PrizeAward2004Honorary Doctor of Paris 8 UniversityAward1996James Madison MedalAward1993American Book AwardsAward1953Born2 June 1953People around Cornel
Close ties
Anton Chekhov Influenced Cornel
John Coltrane Influenced Cornel
Richard Rorty Influenced Cornel
Stanley Cavell Influenced Cornel
Monica Bellucci Also in The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
Lana Wachowski Directed The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
Lilly Wachowski Directed The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
Joel Silver Produced The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
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Jada Pinkett Smith Also in The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
Lambert Wilson Also in The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
Harry Lennix Also in The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
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Collin Chou Also in The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
Nona Gaye Also in The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
Helmut Bakaitis Also in The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
Robert Mammone Also in The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
Bernard White Also in The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
Robyn Nevin Also in The Matrix Reloaded (2003)- Marlon Riggs Directed Black is... Black Ain't (1994)
Clayton Watson Also in The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
Rupert Reid Also in The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
Media & music
In their own words 4
, If the only alternative to fascism we produce is a corporate-driven, milquetoast, neoliberal , fascism will come to America. Let us be very clear. It’s like a America.
Harvard now, I think, suffers from a kind of self-idolatry, that it needs to be critical of itself in order to grow.
[Bernie Sanders is]...an anti-racist in his heart. Two, he’s old-school. He’s like me. He doesn’t know the buzzwords.
Awards
About this person
The grandson of a Baptist minister, West's primary philosophy focuses on the roles of race, gender, and class struggle in American society. A socialist, West draws intellectual contributions from multiple traditions, including Christianity, the black church, democratic socialism, left-wing populism, neopragmatism, and transcendentalism.
