OPINION: A Black Woman's "Life of the Mind" is Her Own: Melissa Harris Perry

02-19-2012 • Amanda Lang

The conflict between Dr. Cornel West and Dr. Melissa Harris Perry is being positioned as though it is based, solely, within a political and critical disagreement regarding President Barack Obama. Nothing appears further from the truth. The 'beef,' in fact, began at Princeton University, after Dr. West recruited Dr. Harris Perry, to campus. One day, the truth of exactly what happened on that campus will be told, preferably by the primary parties involved. What we do know is that, subsequently, Dr. Melissa Harris Perry was denied her promotion to full-professor and, apparently, not only was Dr. Cornel West a part of that process but it was a unanimous decision by the committee. That had to hurt. And, given the irony of the situation, one wonders if the decision was just.