Lez Edmond (May 9, 1932 - April 2017)[1] was an American philosopher, social activist, civil rights journalist, public intellectual author and academic primarily concerning the Civil rights movement (1865–1896).[2]

Early life

Edmonds was born in Jacksonville, Florida.[1] He was raised a Seventh-day Adventist who initially attended Adelphi University for his BA and MA degree.[3] He later earned his PHD from Union Institute.[3] Edmonds stated in an interview that he was forced into Civil Rights while working for an electronic store.[4] It was here that a German co-worker called him a "god-damn black nigger."[4] When Edmonds reported this to HR, they stated he misheard this.[4]

Politics

Edmonds believed that "Democrats and Dixiecrats" are the same thing.[4] He was a proponent of the use of the Schomburg Center in Harlem.[5] He was a proponent of the Freedom Now Party.[4] He was not a major fan of outside Civil Right leaders in his quote from 1964, he stated "to employ outside agitator rhetoric "is to imply that the [local] black community is neither capable nor has the desire to do anything like this".[6] Edmonds was a Civil Rights activist in Harlem.[3] According to the book, Democracy with a Gun: America and the Policy of Force, Lez Edmond was an intellectual and friend of Malcolm X.[7] He urged Malcolm X to stay in the background for a while to avoid danger but his efforts failed.[8] He appeared in the Autobiography of Malcolm X and was an associate of Stokely Carmichael whom he set up interviews with.[7] Malcolm X put up a vote in late February 1965 of whether or not to speak at an upcoming event. Edmonds voted against him speaking at this event but the otherside prevailed.[9] At the vote Malcolm and Edmonds spoke, "He put his arm around me and said, 'Brother, you seem to be very upset.' I said, 'I am.' But I didn't see any fear in his eyes."[9] This event was at the Audubon Ballroom, where Malcolm X was assassinated.[9] Following the death of Malcolm X, Edmonds kept in touch with Betty Shabazz.[10] Edmond was a member and braintrust of the Organization of Afro-American Unity[11] Edmond was a friend of Malcolm X and appeared in the cover of the latter's autobiography.[12]

Journalism

He was the author of the book African History: An Illustrated Handbook, along with Earl Sweeting.[3] Edmonds covered the Harlem riot of 1964 under the title "Harlem Diary: The Untold Story of the American Nightmare"[13][3] for Ramparts magazine.[14] Edmonds covered the riots in great detail including police shootings.[4] Edmonds had access to many areas and held a United Nations press credential.[7] He appeared in the book "American Journalism, 1963-1973"[15] He also appeared as a subject in Ramparts.[16] Edmonds wrote A Source Book of Karl Marx's Letters About Abraham Lincoln and His Strategic Goal in the Civil War: The Destratification of American Society with Louis Gesualdi in 2014.[17]

Influence

The book Do Not Hold Doors by Jeffrey Dessources was written by the influences of Ishmael Reed, Cornel West, Jean Michel Basquiat, Eddie Glaude, Lez Edmond, and John Lowney.[18] He was also an influence in the making of The Souls of Black Girls, produced by Daphne S. Valerius.[19]

Academia

Edmonds was a faculty member at St. John's University (New York City),[20] where he served on the Multicultural Advisory Committee and directed the Multicultural and Ethnic Studies program.[21][22] He interacted with basketball players, including Ron Artest,[23] expressing his disappointment when Artest left for the NBA before completing his education.[24] Edmonds was a professor of African American Studies and actively supported Black Solidarity Day,[25] in addition to being an enthusiastic art collector.[26]

Personal life

Edmond died in April 2017.[3] He has one known daughter, LezAnne Edmond.[27]

References

  1. 1 2 https://www.thehistorymakers.org/sites/default/files/A2006_110_EAD.pdf
  2. ↑ "Black History Month at St. John's Celebrates "The Light Within"". St. John's University.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Lez Edmond - The HistoryMakers".
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Conversation with Lez Edmond". Ramparts. October 1964.
  5. ↑ "Exhibition on Marcus Garvey to Open in Harlem". The New York Times. 7 August 1987.
  6. ↑ Walmsley, Mark (August 22, 2014). "Ferguson does carry echoes of the 60s – but they're coming from the right". The Conversation.
  7. 1 2 3 Matsuo, Fumio; Basho, Matsuo (7 September 2010). Democracy with a Gun: America and the Policy of Force. ReadHowYouWant.com. ISBN 9781458761804 – via Google Books.
  8. ↑ Standard-Examiner. "Years after his death, Malcolm X is still asserting his influence".
  9. 1 2 3 Thompson, Krissah (February 19, 2015). "The unfinished work of Malcolm X" – via www.washingtonpost.com.
  10. ↑ "Selected Work on Malcolm X by Abdul Alkalimat".
  11. ↑ "Dr. Edmond at the 50th Anniversary of OAAU - Organization of Afro-American Unity".
  12. ↑ Democracy with a Gun: America and the Policy of Force. ReadHowYouWant.com. 7 September 2010. ISBN 9781458761804.
  13. ↑ Education in America, 1960-1969: The Educational Supplement of the Saturday Review. Arno Press. 1 January 1971. ISBN 9780405012365 – via Google Books.
  14. ↑ Foner, Eric (9 March 2003). "Reporting from the revolution". Archived from the original on 17 September 2016 – via LA Times.
  15. ↑ American Journalism 1963-1973. Literary Classics of the United States. 1 January 2003. ISBN 9781931082297 – via Google Books.
  16. ↑ "Ramparts". Noah's Ark. 1 January 1965 – via Google Books.
  17. ↑ "Amazon.com: Lez Edmond: Books". Amazon.
  18. ↑ Dessources, Jeffrey (1 February 2007). Do Not Hold Doors. Lulu.com. ISBN 9780615135090 – via Google Books.
  19. ↑ ""The Souls of Black Girls:" Producer Screening with Daphne S. Valerius".
  20. ↑ "Reporting Civil Rights: Reporters and Writers: Lez Edmond".
  21. ↑ "PAE-6: Diversity and Equity Coordination - St. John's University - Scorecard - Institutions - AASHE STARS". AASHE STARS.
  22. ↑ "Alumni Magazine". digitalmemory.stjohns.edu.
  23. ↑ "JOHNNIES HIT THE BOOKS A CLASS ACT AFTER BIG WIN". New York Daily News. 16 March 1999.
  24. ↑ "Rookie Puts Family, Friends 1st". 11 October 1999.
  25. ↑ Dixon, Risa. "Unity or Division?".
  26. ↑ "Jet". Johnson Publishing Company. 1968-11-28.
  27. ↑ "The American Italian Sociohistorical Association Presents: The American Italian Second St. Joseph's Day Celebration Program Conference Series". www.stjohns.edu. 17 April 2023.

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