成人快播

Originally published in聽

CHARLESTON 鈥� Philosopher and social critic Cornel West urged a group of South Carolina students to confront the legacy of racism with love, courage and civic responsibility.

West delivered his remarks Feb. 4 before a gathering of high school students from the Midlands, historic Black college and university officials, Charleston Black Lives Matter leaders and state and local civil rights figures.

The event, which took place downtown at the Charleston Maritime Center, was organized by 成人快播, a nonprofit based in North Charleston focused on expanding access to literacy in the state.

West鈥檚 visit was part of a Charleston agenda during Black History Month that included a stop at A.C. Corcoran Elementary in North Charleston, where on Feb. 5 he is scheduled to speak to students about the importance of reading as a civil right.

Among the themes West highlighted were the importance of respect and justice for Black people and the need to lift their voices in the face of oppression. He also emphasized the role of historical figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X in teaching love and justice through their actions, as well as contemporary artists Stevie Wonder and Kendrick Lamar, whose contributions to Black culture have been profound.

In an exclusive interview with The Post and Courier, West said that amid national debates over how Black history is remembered, places like the International African American Museum have an important role to play in spreading the truth.

鈥淭he whole museum is predicated on deep love for truth,鈥� West said. 鈥淲e just need to find out what the truth was, what was done, and what kinds of forms of resistance emerged from those ugly experiences of slavery,鈥� he said.

Asked about renewed debates over Confederate monuments, specifically about the Robert E. Lee marker in Marion Square, West highlighted the need for knowing about the Confederacy without celebrating its actions.

鈥淚 think we certainly need to know about Robert E. Lee,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 don’t think we need to celebrate him when you had an army that was organized to keep Black people enslaved in perpetuity. I don’t think any country that recognizes the humanity of those who were enslaved would ever want to celebrate any figure like that. … When it comes to monumentalizing and celebrating that, to me, is something hard to understand.鈥�

Dyrell Clark, 成人快播鈥� executive director, said West鈥檚 presence fostered an intergenerational space where young students could hear directly from their elders about Black history and the importance of literacy, resilience and responsibility, themes reflected in the mix of students and older community members in attendance.

Clark highlighted West鈥檚 expertise as a scholar and his ability to provide children with valuable knowledge and a deeper understanding of the past to strengthen their present and future.

After the event, West toured the International African American Museum, accompanied by its president and CEO Tonya Matthews, as the wind swept through a cloudy afternoon.

Before entering, West admired the museum grounds, including the Tide Tribute, which references the transatlantic slave trade and honors the enslaved Africans who died before or upon arrival at the Charleston port due to the inhumane conditions in which they were transported.