"He spoke [about] all this in the context of being an outspoken public intellectual, and so the implication was that this had something to do with his being a high-profile black man."

Ratzman reported that after class, West abandoned his usual habit of talking with students and instead simply "took off."

"A few of us were talking and we sort of mentioned how much we were appreciative. For the first time we were made aware that West puts himself in dangerous positions and how important a person he is."

However, Ratzman also said that as of his 4:30 visit to the Afro-American Studies Department yesterday, even Department Chair Henry Louis Gates Jr. was not aware of West's absence, leading him to believe that the absence was not serious.

"If it was something really really bad, I think Gates would have found out," Ratzman added.

A temporary receptionist at the Department of Afro-American Studies, who spoke on condition of anonymity, reported yesterday that West had been in his office on Monday, but was absent yesterday due to "an emergency."

West did not hold his scheduled office hours yesterday.

The receptionist said, however, that West had scheduled his office hours as usual for today.

Canceled Appearance

The appearance West canceled was supposed to be a speech followed by a panel discussion, centering on two of his recent books, Race Matters and Blacks and Jews: Let the Healing Begin. Organizers had expected between 300 and 500 people, including community religious and civic leaders for the speech.

Don Wilson, program administrator of the church, was unwilling to comment on the specific reasons for West's cancellation.

But he did say, "I know one thing that we were disappointed overall in especially was the reason why it had to be canceled. It's ridiculous that in this day and time in our society people who speak out [can have] their family lives come under some type of threat when they appear to deal with issues that have caused problems in America for centuries."

Motivations for the threats remain unclear.

"His philosophy certainly would upset some people," Robinson said. "He's a professor and he digs farther in terms of truth and doesn't take our history in terms of being absolute, and I think that's possibly upset some people."

Robinson said the church is currently seeking to re-schedule the engagement for some time before August 1.