Cornel West, a foremost thinker on race in US, to be guest at Richland Library event
Dr. Cornel West was announced Wednesday as a guest for a series of talks hosted by Richland Library.
West, a philosopher and former Harvard and Princeton professor who is one of the United States’ most prominent voices on race, will be part of a series honoring “A Year of Black History,” the library said.
Attendees can expect a “candid conversation” between West and the host, Dr. Todd Shaw of the University of South Carolina and its African American Studies Program.
The virtual event is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. March 6. The library asked that people register for the event on its website. Already, nearly 200 people have registered to attend, according to the library’s website.
West is probably best known for his leftist commentary in writings, lectures and television appearances and his books “Race Matters” (1993) and “Democracy Matters” (2004).
He campaigned for presidential contender Bernie Sanders in the 2016 and 2020 primaries, including a stop that September in Columbia.
West is an outspoken disciple of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
Beyond his status as a thinker on American society and culture, West has occasionally appeared in films, including “The Matrix” series. He is also a musician. He was a guest soloist, conductor and percussionist on an album that was awarded the Latin Jazz Album of the Year Grammy in March 2021.
The Richland Library event was announced in February, which is Black History Month.