My journey into the life of Stokely Carmichael/Kwame Ture started in earnest a decade ago as I completed my first book on the history of the Black Power Movement. During the course of that time, my life has undergone sometimes dramatic and sometimes subtle changes. What has remained constant is the generosity of friends, the love of my family, and the graciousness of a wide and international network of professional colleagues, archivists, and activists who aided in the book’s completion.
A resident fellowship at Harvard University’s Charles Warren Center allowed me valuable time and space to conduct research around the center’s theme of “Race and Law in the Making of the Long Civil Rights Movement.” Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham, one of the Warren Center’s co-conveners that year, has been unbelievably generous in both her personal friendship and professional support of my work. Ken Mack’s quiet determination to mine undiscovered historical territory helped to set the perfect tone for what was an important year of research and writing.
My students and colleagues at the University of Rhode Island, Stony Brook University, and Brandeis were extraordinarily patient with me as I rattled on about Stokely Carmichael’s significance.
Joining the faculty of Tufts University in 2009 proved to be especially beneficial to this biography’s completion. I would like to thank all of my colleagues in the history department for their support and interest in my work. Thanks to Virginia Drachman, Alisha Rankin, Elizabeth Foster, Howard Malchow, Ben Carp, David Ekladh, Beatrice Manz, Ina Baghdiantz McCabe, Reed Ueda, Steve Marrone, Gary Leupp, Kris Manjapra, Hugh Roberts, Peter Winn, Ayesha Jalal, Christopher Schmidt-Nowara, Jeanne Penvenne, David Proctor, Man Xu, Leila Fawaz, and Dan Mulholland. Annette Lazzara Aloise, our department administrator, is brilliant at her job and a wonderful person as well. Jamshed Bharucha, the former provost and now president of Cooper Union, provided enthusiastic support for my work. Tufts University president Anthony Monaco, provost David Harris, and dean of the School of Arts and Sciences Joanne Berger-Sweeney have been steadfast in supporting the creation of the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy, a research center that is the by-product of an interest in race and democracy that my research on Stokely Carmichael further amplified.
Liz has been a friend from my first day on campus and for that I am grateful. Dennis Rasmussen, Emily Wiemers, Stephan Pennington, and Dai Ellis all expressed interest about this book project and have listened to its progression in various stages.
Thanks to all of the activists, scholars, writers, former colleagues, and friends of Stokely Carmichael/Kwame Ture who agreed to be interviewed by me. Thanks to the numerous archives, listed in the bibliography, which were indispensible to this book’s completion. Ian Greaves provided important research assistance during earlier stages of this project. Theresa Sullivan, Nina Bernstein, and Benji Cohen have been invaluable to completing this biography.
Ambre Ivol invited me to the Université de Nantes in France to speak about my research on Stokely, and Hélène de Lantec-Lowery organized a lecture at the Université Sorbonne Nouvelle. Both talks were stimulating and provided me the opportunity to do research on Stokely’s time in Paris and meet with wonderful new colleagues.
The late Columbia University historian Manning Marable was completing his major biography of Malcolm X while I was working on this book. Manning’s death represents a great loss for scholar-activists devoted to researching and writing about the history of black radicalism. When I was a young graduate student, Manning’s work inspired me, and he generously supported my work and aspirations as a junior scholar even as he battled a debilitating illness. Walter Hill and Ronald Walters left us too soon, but I’m grateful for their support and mentorship.
Robin D.G. Kelley’s groundbreaking scholarship continues to serve as a source of inspiration. Gerald Horne was kind enough to pause from his prodigious scholarship on black internationalism to provide words of encouragement and to carefully read an entire manuscript on short notice. Herb Boyd’s comments were brilliantly instructive and insightful. Numerous colleagues helped to make this work better in ways both large and small. On this score thanks go to Jeremi Suri, Tom Sugrue, Obery Hendricks, Farah Jasmine Griffin, Sandy Darity, Jeanne Theoharis, Ira Katznelson, Darlene Clark Hine, Nell Irvin Painter, Peter Levy, Barbara Ransby, Ibram X. Xendi, Martha Biondi, David Levering Lewis, Taylor Branch, Robert Caro, Nico Slate, Donna Murch, Zachery Williams, Dayo Gore, Kent Germany, Johanna Fernandez, Robyn Spencer, Russell Rickford, Premilla Nadasen, James Jennings, Gene Jarrett, Linda Heywood, John Thornton, Kenneth Kusmer, Bettye Collier-Thomas, William Julius Wilson, Lawrence Bobo, Clarence Lang, Tommie Shelby, Komozi Woodard, Eddie Glaude, Khalil Gibran Muhammad, Michael Thelwell, Bill Strickland, Ernie Allen, Lawrence Jackson, Dwayne Mack, Derek Musgrove, Scot Brown, Jeff Ogbar, Hasan Jeffries, Sharon Harley, Lewis Gordon, Jane Gordon, David Oshinsky, Angela Aards, Michael Ralph, Waldo Martin, Michelle Alexander, and Cornel West.
Yohuru Williams has been a great friend and brother for fifteen years. Rhonda Y. Williams continues to be an exemplar of the best tradition of merging scholarship with community building. Matthew Whitaker, Jeremy Levitt, Ricky Jones, and Jelani Cobb are terrific scholars and just plain good people. Olufemi Vaughan is that rare combination of brilliant scholar, inspiring teacher, and wonderful human being. Thanks to Rosemary, Ayo, Olu, and Moni for their support over the years.
During the 2012–13 academic year I had the good fortune to be a Caperton Fellow at Harvard University’s Hutchins Center. Henry Louis “Skip” Gates Jr., the director of the institute, has been generous and kind in his support of my work. Skip served as the consummate host, interlocutor, and orchestrator of a series of dazzling events that were never less than intellectually stimulating and effervescent. The Hutchins Center staff was always gracious and helpful, led by the amazing executive director Abby Wolf. Thanks to Krishna Lewis, Sara Bruya, Alvin Benjamin Carter III, Vera Grant, Amy Gosdanian, Justin Sneyd, and Matt Weinberg.
Diane McWhorter, Fred Opie, Patrick Douthit (AKA 9th Wonder), Ed Pavlic, Patricia Sullivan, Charles Van Onselen, Nigel Hatton, Celia Cussen, Patricia Hills, Tahir Hemphill, Juliet Hooker, and Marial Iglesias Utset made my time at the Du Bois Institute memorable and special. Vince Brown and Laurence Ralph have been like brothers as I completed this book. John Stauffer has been a great friend and colleague.
Gloria Loomis, my literary agent, has been a great champion of my work from the instant we first met, and I remain grateful. Sonia Sanchez, professor, human rights activist, and Black Arts icon, continues to inspire my scholarship and study of the social movements of the past and present.
Lara Heimert, the publisher of Basic Books, has been patient, supportive, and enthusiastic about this project from the start. Norman MacAfee’s sharp eye for detail and love of words made the editorial process enjoyable. I could not have had a better editorial team, and for that I am grateful.
Many lifelong friends have lived with this project. Darryl Toler, Larry Hughes, Derrick Myers, Rodney Leon, Sal and Jess Mena, Chris and Ina Pisani, Mark Barnes, Mike and Natalie Williams all provided support over the years. Thanks as well to Patrick, Jalane, Alexis, and Francisco.
Many thanks to Goran Olsson, the director of “The Black Power Mixtape,” for his hospitality during a research trip to Stockholm. To my brother Kerith, my sister-in-law Dawn, and niece Caitlin, your love, enthusiasm, and generosity are so appreciated. Thank you. This and every book I’ve written has been made possible thanks to the unconditional love and inspiration of my mother, Germaine Joseph. I could not have completed this book without my extended family. Tane Lowe is brilliantly curious about so many things, including history. Geoff and Liz Domenico always made me feel welcome in their home. A special thanks to Liz for her terrific home cooking on holidays and regular days. Alex, Adryon, and Andrew were good listeners as I discussed this project endlessly. I’m profoundly fortunate to have Astrid Domenico in my life. Astrid has been the best partner and friend one could hope for. She’s served as a critic, sounding board, support system, and reality check all in one. Throughout, her enthusiasm never wavered. Astrid shaped this book in ways that go beyond words.