Cornel West

Cornel West: From ivory towers to White House — what to expect?

Cornel West is a philosopher, thinker, political activist, social critic, author and public intellectual mostly known for his contributions in the discussions of racial, class and judicial disparity in America.

Although West has been involved in various political activities, he has never been elected to any office.

Campaign Messages

• Child justice.

• Disability justice.

• Economic justice.

• Education justice.

• Environmental justice.

• Gender justice.

• Global justice.

• Gun violence justice.

• Health justice.

• Immigration justice.

• Racial justice.

• Worker justice.

Education and Academic Career

In 1973, West graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University in 1973 with a degree in New Eastern languages and civilisations. He later became the first African-American to complete a PhD in philosophy from Princeton University in 1980.

West has served as a professor at several prestigious institutions including Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Union Theological Seminary and University of Paris.

Among West’s notable publications are his books “Race Matters” (1993) and “Democracy Matters” (2004) which are based on the themes of race, democracy and social justice in the US.

Civil rights and Social Justice

West was involved in the civil rights movement, supporting racial justice, economic equality and human rights. He has used public forums, media, and his platforms to discuss disparity issues among the American people.

Support for Presidential Candidates

In the past, West has supported several presidential candidates including Bernie Sanders during the 2016 and 2020 Democratic primaries advocating for the candidate on his advocacy on issues like healthcare, education and income inequality.

Criticism of the Democratic Party

Despite supporting candidates from the Democratic Party, West has criticised the party because he believes it has failed to address the needs of the working class and marginalised communities.

2024 Presidential Campaign

In June 2023, West announced his candidacy for the 2024 presidential election as a third-party candidate, first from the People’s Party and later sought the Green Party’s nomination but in the end, he decided to run as an independent candidate.

West’s campaign centres around issues such as racial justice, economic reform, climate change, and military opposition.