"It's not unusual for people to go to Harvard,and with Professor Gates and the finestAfrican-American studies program in the country,it's not unusual to want to be a part of that," hesays.

West immediately became one of the drivingforces in the department and in the University.His appointment as Fletcher University professorin 1998, the highest position a Faculty member canattain, cemented his status as one of Harvard'smost distinguished scholars.

According to Head Tutor K. Anthony Appiah,professor of Afro-American studies and ofphilosophy, the Afro-American studies departmenthas benefited tremendously from West's presence.Appiah specifically praises West's courseAfro-American Studies 10, "Introduction toAfro-American Studies," which is a required coursefor concentrators and one of the most popularelectives at the College.

"He's been terrific for the program; his Af-Am10 has become a major course in the College,"Appiah says. "It lets people know about thesubject and the department."

April Yvonne Garrett, who studied under Westand served as a teaching fellow for Afro-AmericanStudies 10 last fall, appreciates West's abilityto attract a diverse group of students, all ofwhom are passionate and dedicated.

"I was always impressed with students in mysection because they really worked, and theyweren't always Af-Am concentrators," she says."There were people of every concentration."

A Public Intellectual

Colleagues and students from throughout West'scareer recognize him not just for his intellectbut his ability to forge personal connections.

His strength, according to West's associates,lies in his ability to reach out to the widerpublic and individuals.

West's most recent books, including thebest-selling Race Matters (1993), Jewsand Blacks: Let the Healing Begin (1995),written with Michael Lerner, and The WarAgainst Parents: What We Can Do for America'sBeleaguered Moms and Dads (1998), co-authoredwith Sylvia Ann Hewlett, all focus on currentthemes designed to appeal to a mass audience.

West is also greatly in demand on the lecturecircuit across the country, famed for hisimpassioned oratory with roots in the Baptisttradition.

The popularity of both his written and spokenwork is a testament to his ability to connect withlarger society.

"He has chosen to be a public intellectual, andhe brings to that wide learning and very sharppower of intellect," Rampersad says. "He isseeking to bridge the gap between the academy andthe world outside, especially on race."

Appiah says he sees no gap between West'sintellectual and daily life.

"There isn't a gap between his private andpublic self," Appiah says. "He's not just doing ajob when he reads and writes, it's what he mostloves to do and he hasn't stopped doing it."