Asante, M. Maulana Karenga: An Intellectual Portrait

Abstract

Dr. Molefi Asante of Temple University’s Department of African American Studies has written a new book titled: “ Maulana Karenga” an Intellectual Portrait. This text. is the latest installation in the series where Asante examines the scholarly contributions of African people who have devoted their lives to the advancement of the African world. The first in this series was dedicated to the Senegalese academic giant Cheikh Anta Diop. Moving beyond the standard fare of biography, this work takes you into the intellectual life and scholarly achievements of a man who has refused to be silenced on any level. On the Karenga project Asante writes:“My intention is to transcend description and narrative, except where it is obviously needed, in order to present a critical exposition of the theoretical, philosophical, and ethical ideas of the dominant thinker in the African American community for more that forty years” (p.5). Looking closely at the intellectual contributions of Karenga Asante describes his method as “Organic Narration.” By this he means: “The critical use of historical, political, and philosophical texts to weave a cohesive and achievable purpose in conjunction with an ethical imperative” (p.31). Karenga has used the subject of ethics to critique a diversity of subjects ranging from the South Africa question to inner city American school systems and the multicultural idea. Asante makes note of these contributions throughout the text, while paying particular attention to Karenga’s contemporary relevance and far reaching appeal both in the United States and abroad. Asante delves deeply into the intellectual mission of Karenga. In chapter two on page 31 Asante states: “Hands down, the principal role of research in the Karengean imagination is bringing about justice in the world.” This marks one of the central ideas in the work of Karenga because it places him in his rightful place as a human J Afr Am St (2011) 15:125–127 DOI 10.1007/s12111-010-9131-4