Though his may not be a household name, those in the know recognize that when the history of this era is written Manning Marable will merit considerable attention. In the first place, he has assumed the mantle of intellectual leadership, bequeathed by the sainted W. E. B. Du Bois, as he has produced volume after stimulating volume on a whole range of topics.
Indeed, his biography of Du Bois – years after its publication – remains, perhaps, the most illuminating and stimulating analysis of the work of this scholar–activist. Like Du Bois, Marable has pioneered in the ostensibly disparate fields of scholarship and political activism, having founded the Black Radical Congress and the National Black Independent Political Party and having served meritoriously Democratic Socialists of America. His books, which could fill a small library, have been universally applauded, while his forthcoming biography of Malcolm X is awaited eagerly and, no doubt, will – like all of his work – shed light as it redefines terrain thought to be familiar.
The book at hand worthily upholds the enviable standards of the estimable Marable oeuvre. It was published originally in 1995 but comes to us now in an expanded and updated version that improves upon the original, as it expands the boundaries of political discourse. Within one volume Marable brings together a number of essays that have appeared in disparate journals over a lengthy period; thus, for the devotees of the author – and I include myself in this charmed circle – this book is a real treat.
The content consists of a series of interlinked essays on such provocative and illustrative topics as civil unrest in Los Angeles; Malcolm X (of course); Hurricane Katrina of 2005 and its disastrous aftermath; the impact of Marable's peers, including Cornel West and Henry Louis Gates Jr.; the influence of the Muslim minister Louis Farrakhan; the controversy surrounding the policy known as “affirmative action” designed to redress the toxic impact of – particularly – racial and gender bigotry; the evolution of the discipline of “black studies”; the fraught realm of reparations to the descendants of enslaved Africans; and much, much more.
All of these are exceedingly complicated topics, replete with nuance, yet Marable – with considerable verve – handles each and every one with adroit sensitivity and consummate intelligence. This is a book that merits wide attention: it is a worthwhile addition to the growing body of literature that Manning Marable – so graciously – has provided to us.
