Robin Kelley

Author and historian Robin D.G. Kelley is a Professor of American Studies and Ethnicity at the University of Southern California. Kelley has authored several significant works, including the biography "Thelonious Monk: His Story, His Song, His Times," and is recognized for his contributions to the study of African American culture through books such as "Race Rebels: Culture Politics and the Black Working Class," "Yo’ Mama’s DisFunktional!: Fighting the Culture Wars in Urban America," and "Freedom Dreams: The Black Radical Imagination." He is currently working on a new book titled "Speaking in Tongues: Jazz and Modern Africa."

Kelley has held notable academic positions including being a Professor of History and Africana Studies at New York University, where he also served as the Chairman of the History Department. He was the William B. Ransford Professor of Cultural and Historical Studies at Columbia University and played a significant role in its Institute for Research in African-American Studies. His academic journey is backed by a PhD in US History and an MA in African History from UCLA.

Kelley's prolific writing extends beyond books to over 100 magazine articles featured in respected publications like The Nation, Monthly Review, The New York Times, Rolling Stone, and African Studies Review. His career spans several top-tier institutions, and his scholarly work continues to inform and shape discussions in African American studies and beyond.

Topics

Before Obama: How Black Folks Saved American Democracy

Teaching to Change the World: Transforming Public Education

The Secret Racial History of American Prosperity

Thelonious Monk: The Life & Music of an American Genius

Another Reconstruction?: Race & Reparations in Post-Katrina America

‘We Threaten the World’: African Americans & U.S. Empire

‘A Joyful Noise’: Modern Jazz & Spirituality