Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)

Political Science
Howard University
2003

Juris Doctor (J.D.)

Law
Harvard Law School
2008

Master of Arts (M.A.)

Philosophy
Tufts University
2008

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Philosophy
University of Pittsburgh
2013

Political Philosophy

Philosophy of Law

African American Philosophy

Ethics

Ethics and Public Policy: Black Reparations

As we know, the United States never paid large-scale reparations to formerly enslaved Black people or their descendants. Some believe that justice requires the U.S. to compensate the descendants of those victimized by American slavery. Others take it that it would be unjust and unfair to require the current American government to pay for the sins of the past. In this course, we’ll consider all sides of the philosophical debate over Black reparations.

Hegelian Restorative Justice

Hegelian Restorative Justice 

In the Philosophy of Right, Hegel claims that crime is a negation of right and punishment is the “negation of the negation.” Punishment, for Hegel, “annuls” the criminal act. Many take it that Hegel endorses a form of retributivism—the theory that criminal offenders should be subject to harsh treatment in response and in proportion to their wrongdoing. Here I argue that restorative criminal justice is consistent with Hegel’s remarks on punishment and his overall philosophical system. This is true, in part, because restorative justice integrates Hegel’s instructive discussion of confession and forgiveness in the Phenomenology of Spirit. Hegel claims that true moral relationships allow space for persons to confess their moral shortcomings and forgive the shortcomings of others. Restorative criminal justice brings the perpetrators and victims of crime together to offer confessions and forgiveness and to work to heal the various wounds caused by crime. I do not claim that Hegel must be read as advocating restorative justice. While Hegel tells us what punishment does, he does not commit himself to any form of punishment. What I offer here is a rational, progressive reconstruction and extension of Hegel’s conception of crime and punishment.

What ‘Black Lives Matter’ Should Mean

What ‘Black Lives Matter’ Should Mean

This chapter considers the meaning of the slogan “Black lives matter.” It concludes that there is no consensus about the meaning of the slogan and posits that the slogan is true only relative to a given population. As such, Black lives matter to some, but not to others. Thus, the slogan both expresses a truth and an aspiration, depending on context. The author argues that both interpretations of the slogan are socially useful. It is useful for activists to believe that Black lives do matter because this belief is a source of inspiration. The author contends that activists would do well to recognize that Black lives do not matter to some. This latter interpretation justifies certain forms of direct, nonsentimental activism.

Derrick Bell's Dilemma

Derrick Bell's Dilemma 

The scholarship of Derrick Bell, acclaimed critical race theorist and constitutional law scholar, continues to animate discussions outside and inside of legal academia. Cornel West, for example, recently criticized Ta-Nehisi Coates’ pessimism about racial progress, arguing that Coates’ approach lacks the appeal to black struggle that is present in Bell’s work. Furthermore, many critical race theorists take Bell’s interest convergence principle and racial realism thesis as starting points for their scholarship. Law professor Paul Butler, for example, draws on both of Bell’s theories to explain the persistence of racism in American policing. Legal scholar Justin Driver, on the other hand, views Bell’s theories as problematically pessimistic about the prospect of true racial justice in the United States. I argue that Bell’s approach to racial justice is viable and instructive, but that it must be modified if it is to overcome several serious theoretical problems. The interest convergence principle entails that groups are largely amoral, while the racial realism thesis includes the claim that black Americans should act on moral reasons. Thus, the principle and the thesis, taken together, entail a contradiction.

Death in Hip-Hop: An Existential Analysis

Death in Hip-Hop: An Existential Analysis

The paper explores the existential perspectives on death as articulated by prominent hip-hop artists like Tupac, Nas, Ice Cube, and Jay-Z. It argues that within the context of ghetto poverty, these artists embrace a "thug life" identity that reflects their authentic selves while grappling with the realities of violence and mortality. The analysis suggests that their art conveys a philosophy where lowered expectations shape their understanding of life and death, allowing them to derive meaning and appreciation from their lived experiences.

A Hegelian Critique of Rorty’s Contingency, Irony, and Solidarity

A Hegelian Critique of Rorty’s Contingency, Irony, and Solidarity

I read Rorty’s Contingency, Irony, and Solidarity as an attempt to reconcile two, seemingly conflicting, sources of authority and obligation. Some believe that persons are obligated by reason or God to promote just institutions. While others locate authority and obligation solely in the self. Rorty tells us that we need not choose between these sources of normativity, but can see each as applicable to two, non-conflicting parts of our lives. I contend that Rorty’s solution rests on a misunderstanding of the upshots of contingency and of the conditions of personhood. I argue that Hegel provides a more compelling resolution of the tension between public obligation and private autonomy.

There’s No Classics ‘Catastrophe’ at Howard University

There’s No Classics ‘Catastrophe’ at Howard University

Guest Essay in The New York Times. Co-written with Jacoby Adeshi Carter