American academic and ordained minister
Michael Eric Dyson (born October 23, 1958) is an American
academic , author, ordained minister, and radio host. He is a professor in the College of Arts and Science and in the Divinity School at
Vanderbilt University .
[3] Described by Michael A. Fletcher as "a
Princeton
Ph.D. and a child of the streets who takes pains never to separate the two",
[4] Dyson has authored or edited more than twenty books dealing with subjects such as
Malcolm X ,
Martin Luther King Jr. ,
Marvin Gaye ,
Barack Obama ,
Nas 's debut album
Illmatic ,
Bill Cosby ,
Tupac Shakur and
Hurricane Katrina .
Early life and education
Dyson was born on October 23, 1958, in
Detroit ,
Michigan , the son of Addie Mae Leonard, who was from Alabama. He was adopted by his stepfather, Everett Dyson.[
citation needed ] He attended
Cranbrook School in
Bloomfield Hills , Michigan, on an academic scholarship but left and completed his education at
Northwestern High School .
[4] He became an
ordained
Baptist
minister at nineteen years of age.
[5] Having worked in factories in Detroit to support his family, he entered
Knoxville College as a freshman at the age of twenty-one.
[6] Dyson received his
bachelor's degree ,
magna cum laude , from
Carson–Newman College in 1985.
[4] He received a Ph.D. in religion from
Princeton University in 1993 after completing a doctoral dissertation titled Uses of Heroes: Celebration and Criticism in the Interpretation of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr.
[7]
Career
Professor
Dyson has taught at
Chicago Theological Seminary ,
Brown University , the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ,
Columbia University ,
DePaul University , and the
University of Pennsylvania .
[4] From 2007 to 2020, he was a professor of sociology at
Georgetown University .
[8] In 2021, Dyson moved to Vanderbilt University where he holds the Centennial Chair and serves as University Distinguished Professor of African American and Diaspora Studies in the College of Arts and Science and University Distinguished Professor of Ethics and Society in the Divinity School.
[3] Between 2016 and 2018, he was a visiting professor at
Middlebury College in
Middlebury, Vermont .
Author
His 1994 book Making Malcolm: The Myth and Meaning of Malcolm X became a
New York Times notable book of the year.
[9] In his 2006 book Come Hell or High Water: Hurricane Katrina and the Color of Disaster , Dyson analyzes the political and social events in the wake of the catastrophe against the backdrop of an overall "failure in race and class relations".
[10]
[11]
[12] In 2010, Dyson edited
Born to Use Mics: Reading Nas's Illmatic , with contributions based on the album's tracks by, among others, Kevin Coval,
Kyra D. Gaunt ("Professor G"),
dream hampton ,
Marc Lamont Hill ,
Adam Mansbach , and
Mark Anthony Neal .
[13] Dyson's own essay in this anthology, "'One Love', Two Brothers, Three Verses", argues that the current US penal system disfavors young black males more than any other segment of the population.
[14]
[15] His last three books appeared repeatedly on the
New York Times Bestseller list.
Dyson hosted a radio show, which aired on
Radio One , from January 2006 to February 2007. He is also a commentator on
National Public Radio ,
MSNBC and
CNN , and is a regular guest on
Real Time with Bill Maher . Beginning July 2011 Michael Eric Dyson became a political analyst for MSNBC.
[16] In May 2018, he participated in the
Munk debate on
political correctness , arguing alongside
Michelle Goldberg against
Stephen Fry and
Jordan Peterson .
[17] In August 2018, he spoke at the funeral of
Aretha Franklin .
[18]
Dyson served on the
board of directors of the Common Ground Foundation, a project dedicated to empowering urban youth in the United States.
[19] Dyson and his third wife, Marcia L. Dyson,
[4] were regular guests and speakers at the
Aspen Institute Conferences and Ideas Festival.[
citation needed ] Dyson most recently hosted a television show, The Raw Word .
The Michael Eric Dyson Show (2009-2011)
The Michael Eric Dyson Show radio program debuted on April 6, 2009, and is broadcast from
Morgan State University . The show's first guest was
Oprah Winfrey ,
[20] to whom Dyson dedicated his book Can You Hear Me Now? The Inspiration, Wisdom, and Insight of Michael Eric Dyson . The show appears to have been discontinued with its last episode being in December 2011.
Beliefs
Dyson's general philosophy is that American black people are continuing to suffer from generations of ongoing oppression. On
Fox News with
Tucker Carlson , Dyson suggested that white Americans looking for ways to counter
white privilege could make individual efforts to contribute time and money to support local black communities.
[21]
Personal life
Dyson has a son, Michael Eric Dyson II, born on May 22, 1978, in Detroit with his first wife, Theresa Taylor. Also, Mwata and Maisha Dyson and three grandchildren.[
citation needed ]
Bibliography
Title
Year
ISBN
Publisher
Subject matter
Interviews, presentations, and reviews
Comments
Reflecting Black: African-American Cultural Criticism
1993
ISBN
9780816621439
University of Minnesota Press
Making Malcolm: The Myth and Meaning of Malcolm X
1995
ISBN
9780195102857
Oxford University Press
Malcolm X
Race Rules: Navigating the Color Line
1996
ISBN
9780201911862
Addison Wesley
Between God and Gangsta Rap: Bearing Witness to Black Culture
1997
ISBN
9780195115697
Oxford University Press
I May Not Get There with You: The True Martin Luther King, Jr.
2000
ISBN
9780684867762
Free Press
Martin Luther King Jr.
Presentation by Dyson on I May Not Get There With You , January 10, 2000 ,
C-SPAN
Washington Journal interview with Dyson on I May Not Get There With You , April 10, 2000 ,
C-SPAN
Holler if You Hear Me: Searching for Tupac Shakur
2002
ISBN
9780465017560
Basic Civitas Books
Tupac Shakur
Booknotes interview with Dyson on Holler If You Hear Me , November 4, 2001 ,
C-SPAN
Open Mike: Reflections on Philosophy
2002
ISBN
9780465017652
Basic Civitas Books
Why I Love Black Women
2002
ISBN
9780465017638
Perseus Book Group
Winner of the 2004
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work – Nonfiction
[22]
The Michael Eric Dyson Reader
2004
ISBN
9780465017713
Basic Civitas Books
Mercy, Mercy Me: The Art, Loves and Demons of Marvin Gaye
2005
ISBN
9780465017706
Basic Civitas Books
Marvin Gaye
Is Bill Cosby Right? Or Has the Black Middle Class Lost Its Mind?
2005
ISBN
9780465017195
Basic Civitas Books
Bill Cosby ,
Pound Cake speech
After Words interview with Dyson on Is Bill Cosby Right: Or Has the Black Middle Class Lost Its Mind? , May 15, 2005 ,
C-SPAN
Book group discussion on Is Bill Cosby Right: Or Has the Black Middle Class Lost Its Mind? , February 28, 2006 ,
C-SPAN
Winner of the 2006
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work – Nonfiction
[23]
Pride: The Seven Deadly Sins
2006
ISBN
9780195160925
Oxford University Press
Pride
Come Hell or High Water: Hurricane Katrina and the Color of Disaster
2006
ISBN
9780465017614
Perseus Book Group
Hurricane Katrina ,
Social effects of Hurricane Katrina ,
Criticism of the government response to Hurricane Katrina
Presentation by Dyson on Come Hell or High Water: Hurricane Katrina , February 24, 2006 ,
C-SPAN
Recipient of the 2007
American Book Award
[24] Nominee for the 2007
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work – Nonfiction
[25]
Debating Race
2007
ISBN
9780465002061
Basic Civitas Books
Know What I Mean? Reflections on Hip Hop
2007
ISBN
9780465017164
Basic Civitas Books
Hip hop (culture) ,
Hip hop music
Presentation by Dyson on Know What I Mean? , July 18, 2007 ,
C-SPAN
Nominee for the 2008
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work – Nonfiction
[26]
[27]
April 4, 1968: Martin Luther King's Death and How it Changed America
2008
ISBN
9780465012862
Basic Civitas Books
Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
Can You Hear Me Now? The Inspiration, Wisdom, and Insight of Michael Eric Dyson
2009
ISBN
9780465018833
Basic Civitas Books
Born to Use Mics: Reading Nas's Illmatic
2010
ISBN
9780465002115
Basic Civitas Books
Nas ,
Illmatic
Dyson and
Sohail Daulatzai were the editors of this book.
The Black Presidency: Barack Obama and the Politics of Race in America
2016
ISBN
9780544387669
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Barack Obama ,
Presidency of Barack Obama
After Words interview with Dyson on The Black Presidency , March 11, 2016 ,
C-SPAN
Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon to White America
2017
ISBN
9781250135995
St. Martin's Press
Race and ethnicity in the United States ,
White Americans ,
African Americans
Presentation by Dyson on Tears We Cannot Stop , January 18, 2017 ,
C-SPAN
Interview with Dyson on Tears We Cannot Stop , April 22, 2017 ,
C-SPAN
Presentation by Dyson on Tears We Cannot Stop , June 10, 2017 ,
C-SPAN
Presentation by Dyson on Tears We Cannot Stop , September 22, 2017 ,
C-SPAN
Washington Journal interview with Dyson on Tears We Cannot Stop , December 24, 2017 ,
C-SPAN
Winner of the 2018
Southern Book Prize for Non-Fiction
[28]
What Truth Sounds Like: Robert F. Kennedy, James Baldwin, and Our Unfinished Conversation About Race in America
2017
ISBN
9781250135995
St. Martin's Press
Baldwin–Kennedy meeting
Presentation by Dyson on What Truth Sounds Like , June 6, 2018 ,
C-SPAN
Washington Journal interview with Dyson on What Truth Sounds Like , June 24, 2018 ,
C-SPAN
JAY-Z: Made in America
2019
ISBN
9781250230966
St. Martin's Press
Jay-Z
Long Time Coming: Reckoning with Race in America
2020
ISBN
9781250276759
St. Martin's Press
Presentation by Dyson on Long Time Coming , December 8, 2020 ,
C-SPAN
Nominee for the 2021
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work – Nonfiction
[29]
Entertaining Race: Performing Blackness in America
2021
ISBN
9781250135971
St. Martin's Press
Presentation by Dyson on Entertaining Race , November 12, 2021 ,
C-SPAN
References
^ Armstrong, Elizabeth (March 15, 2001). "The Pure Heart of Gangsta Rap". Chicago Reader .
^
"Manning Marable's New Malcolm X Biography Investigates Conflicted Reality of the Civil Rights Leader" . Democracy Now! .
^
a
b
"Dr. Michael Eric Dyson Heads to Vanderbilt - Higher Education" . September 29, 2020. Retrieved January 18, 2021 .
^
a
b
c
d
e Michael A. Fletcher (Spring 2000).
"Michael Eric Dyson: A Scholar and a Hip-Hop Preacher." , The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education .
^ Marie Arana (August 24, 2003).
"Michael Eric Dyson. Telling It Any Way He Can." ,
The Washington Post .
^ Michael Eric Dyson (April 2, 2011).
"Manning Marable: A Brother, a Mentor, a Great Mind."
Archived June 5, 2011, at the
Wayback Machine ,
The Root .
^ Dyson, Michael Eric (1993).
Uses of heroes : celebration and criticism in the interpretation of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr .
^
Michael E Dyson , Department of Sociology,
Georgetown University
^ Calvin Reid (February 21, 2000).
"Interview. Michael Eric Dyson: Of Her s and Hip-hop. The real challenge of King's heroism is to make it a useful heroism" ,
Publishers Weekly .
^ Austin Considine (February 5, 2006).
"Disparities revealed in Katrina's wake / Race, class central to analysis of how nation failed victims" ,
San Francisco Chronicle .
^ Staff (April 2006).
"The center of the storm" ,
Ebony .
^ Staff (January 16, 2006).
"Come Hell or High Water: Hurricane Katrina and the Color of Disaster" , Publishers Weekly .
^ Dyson, Michael Eric; Daulatzai, Sohail (December 28, 2009).
Born To Use Mics: Reading Nas's Illmatic . Basic Civitas Books. pp. v–vi.
ISBN
978-0-465-00211-5 . Retrieved August 21, 2011 .
^ Dyson; Daulatzai (2009).
Born To Use Mics . Basic Books. p. 131.
ISBN
9780465002115 . Retrieved August 21, 2011 .
^ Alessandro Porco (May 2009).
"'Time is Illmatic': A Critical Retrospective on Nas's Groundbreaking Debut" ,
Postmodern Culture – Volume 19, Number 3.
^ Samuels, Allison (August 12, 2011).
"Michael Eric Dyson Hire by MSNBC Deepens Black Ire Over Al Sharpton Show" . The Daily Beast. Retrieved September 28, 2018 .
^
"Munk Debates – Political Correctness" . Archived from
the original on December 4, 2018. Retrieved May 21, 2018 .
^ Izadi, Elahe; Butler, Bethonie; Rao, Sonia (August 31, 2018).
" 'She gave us pride and a regal bar to reach': Everything that happened at Aretha Franklin's 8-hour funeral" . Washington Post. Retrieved September 28, 2018 .
^ Staff (2007).
"Biography: Dr. Michael Eric Dyson"
Archived November 1, 2011, at the
Wayback Machine , Common Ground Foundation, board members.
^ Richard Prince (April 1, 2009).
"Oprah to Inaugurate Michael Eric Dyson Radio Show"
Archived November 7, 2011, at the
Wayback Machine , Maynard Institute. Richard Prince's Journal-isms™.
^
"Dyson: Whites should open individual reparation accounts" . February 2, 2017.
^
" 'Temptations' tempt NAACP" . Variety . March 7, 2004. Retrieved December 24, 2023 .
^
"Image Awards honor Jamie Foxx, Bernie Mac" . The Augusta Chronicle . February 27, 2006. Retrieved December 24, 2023 .
^ American Booksellers Association (2013).
"The American Book Awards / Before Columbus Foundation [1980–2012]" . BookWeb . Archived from
the original on March 13, 2013. Retrieved September 25, 2013 . 2007 [...] Michael Eric Dyson , Come Hell or High Water: Hurricane Katrina and the Color of Disaster (Basic Books)
^ Williams, Kam (2007).
"38th NAACP Image Awards (2007)" . AALBC. Retrieved December 24, 2023 .
^
"The 39th NAACP Image Award Nominations" . Variety . January 8, 2008. Retrieved December 24, 2023 .
^ McCarthy, Libby; Peters, Derek (February 14, 2008).
" 'Debaters' dominates Image Awards" . Variety . Retrieved December 24, 2023 .
^
"Awards: SIBA's Southern Book; Branford Boase" .
Shelf Awareness . July 6, 2018. Retrieved December 24, 2023 .
^ Bosselman, Haley (March 27, 2021).
"NAACP Image Awards 2021: The Complete Televised Winners List" . Variety . Retrieved December 24, 2023 .
External links
1990s
By Any Means Necessary: The Trials and Tribulations of the Making of 'Malcolm X –
Spike Lee and
Ralph Wiley (1993)
No Award (1994)
When We Were Colored –
Clifton Taulbert (1995)
No Award (1996)
No Award (1997)
With Ossie & Ruby: In This Life Together –
Ossie Davis and
Ruby Dee (1998)
No Award (1999)
2000s 2010s 2020s
Anchors Hosts Correspondents Political analysts Legal analysts Military analysts National security analysts
Events (
timeline )
Prior to 1954 1954–1959 1960–1963 1964–1968
Activist groups Activists By region Movement songs Influences Related Legacy Noted historians
International National Academics Other