West, the Yale professor, said it is the task of the Black intellectual to act as "a critical and organic catalyst" who "associates with whatever feeble attempts at in surgency are out there." By insurgency, West said he meant Blacks should challenge the establishment instead of joining it.

Jeffrey Howard, a Harvard social psychologist, rejected West's emphasis on external explanations for Black problems. Howard said the failure of government programs, for example, should not be blamed exclusively for problems confronting the Black community, such as a high crime rate, drug abuse, and higher instances of teenage pregnancy,

Howard said the chief failure of Blacks today is their failure to give their children a competitive footing and outlook in society.

"The distribution of knowledge, skills, and exposure to an aggressive and competitive spirit is fundamental to any group's success in society," Howard said. Howard urged intellectuals to foster personal development, self-esteem and constructive attitudes toward the family and marriage.

The final discussion, which was to take the form of a debate, was marred by the last minute cancellation of Professor of Public Policy Glenn C. Loury, whose political opinions, especially his criticism of affirmative action programs, have sparked considerable debate within the Afro-American community.

A conference organizer said Loury was ill and unable to attend.