Cornel Ronald West (born June 2, 1953, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Clifton L. West Jr. and Irene Bias West) is an American public intellectual, philosopher, theologian, political activist, politician, social critic, and university teacher. The grandson of a Baptist minister, he identifies with the Baptist religion and has been involved in the Theology in the Americas movement. His philosophy emphasizes the roles of race, gender, and class struggle in American society, drawing from traditions including Christianity, the black church, democratic socialism, left-wing populism, neopragmatism, and transcendentalism. A socialist affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America since 1982, he has been a prominent voice in left-wing politics, running as an independent candidate in the 2024 United States presidential election. He is known for his work in African-American studies, philosophy, and progressive politics, as well as seminal works like 'Race Matters' and critiques of societal issues and Black leadership. West has had a distinguished academic career, teaching at institutions such as Union Theological Seminary, Yale Divinity School, Princeton University, and Harvard University, where he served as director of Afro-American Studies and professor of religion at Princeton (1989-1994) and Professor of Religion and African-American Studies at Harvard (1994 onward in some capacities). Beyond academia, he is an actor (appearing in Matrix sequels), critic, and co-host of the radio show 'Smiley & West' with Tavis Smiley. He has released spoken word albums and remains committed to social justice, from high school civil rights demonstrations to occupying the U.S. Justice Department in 2012. In his memoir 'Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud' (2009), he describes himself as a 'bluesman' advocating for the disenfranchised.