Lerone Bennett, Jr
Lerone Bennett, Jr. was a significant figure in American literature and history, particularly noted for his exploration of race relations in the United States. Born in Jackson, Mississippi, in the 1930s, he developed a passion for writing early on, contributing to a local newspaper at the age of twelve. After earning a degree from Morehouse College, he pursued a career in journalism, working for the Atlanta Daily World and later serving as the city editor for Jet magazine. His most renowned work, "Before the Mayflower: A History of the Negro in America, 1619–1962," published in 1962, delves into African American history and was initially based on articles for Ebony magazine, where he eventually became executive editor.
Bennett authored several influential books, including a biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. and "Forced into Glory: Abraham Lincoln's White Dream," which sparked debate regarding Lincoln's legacy. His contributions to literature earned him several accolades, including the Literature Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the Carter G. Woodson Lifetime Achievement Award. Bennett's legacy continues to resonate, reflecting the complexities of race in American society. He passed away on February 14, 2018, at the age of eighty-nine, leaving behind a family and a profound impact on historical scholarship.
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Lerone Bennett, Jr.
- Born: October 17, 1928
- Birthplace: Clarksdale, Mississippi
- Died: February 14, 2018
- Place of death: Chicago, Illinois
Biography
Lerone Bennett, Jr., has been hailed as one of the most important writers from Mississippi of the twentieth century and one of the most prominent historians of race relations in the United States. He grew up in Jackson, Mississippi, during the 1930s. His parents divorced when he was a child. Enamored with the written word from a very young age, he began writing for a local newspaper by the age of twelve.
After attending public schools, he earned his bachelor of arts degree in 1949 from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. Bennett then attended Atlanta University in pursuit of a graduate degree but decided to pursue journalism instead. Bennett found work at the Atlanta Daily World while simultaneously serving as the city editor for Jet magazine. In 1953, he took an associate editor position at Ebony magazine in Chicago, Illinois, where he remained for more than forty years, eventually becoming the magazine’s executive editor.
Bennett’s book Before the Mayflower: A History of the Negro in America, 1619–1962, published in 1962, began as a series of articles that Bennett wrote for Ebony magazine. This book was among the first of many works exploring the history of race relations in America. Other works of note are What Manner of Man: A Biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. (1964) and Forced into Glory: Abraham Lincoln’s White Dream (2000). The latter drew considerable controversy for its suggestion that Abraham Lincoln was a white supremacist whose true nature has been obscured by the Emancipation Proclamation and the passage of time.
Bennett received the Literature Award from the American Academy in Arts and Letters, the Book of the Year from the Capital Press Club, and the Patron Saints Award from the Society of Midland Authors. In 2003, he was awarded the Carter G. Woodson Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2010 he recorded an oral history for the National Visionary Leadership Project.
Bennett married Gloria Sylvester in 1965; she died in 2009. The couple had three daughters and a son. Bennett died on February 14, 2018, after suffering from advanced vascular dementia for some time. He was eighty-nine years old.
Bibliography
Genzlinger, Neil. "Lerone Bennett Jr., Historian of Black America, Dies at 89." The New York Times, 16 Feb. 2018,www.nytimes.com/2018/02/16/obituaries/lerone-bennett-jr-historian-of-black-america-dies-at-89.html. Accessed 21 Nov. 2018.
Goldsborough, Bob. "Lerone Bennett, Historian and Former Executive Editor of Ebony Magazine, Dies." Chicago Tribune, 16 Feb. 2018,www.chicagotribune.com/news/obituaries/ct-met-lerone-bennett-obituary-20180216-story.html. Accessed 21 Nov. 2018.
"Lerone Bennett Jr., a Classical Author." African American Registry, 2018, aaregistry.org/story/lerone-bennett-jr-a-classical-author/. Accessed 21 Nov. 2018.
Scott, Daryl Michael. "In Memoriam: Lerone Bennett Jr. (1928–2018)." Perspectives on History, American Historical Association, 1 May 2018,www.historians.org/publications-and-directories/perspectives-on-history/may-2018/lerone-bennett-jr-(1928%E2%80%932018). Accessed 21 Nov. 2018.
West, E. James. "Lerone Bennett, Jr.: A Life in Popular Black History." The Black Scholar: Journal of Black Studies and Research, vol. 47, no. 4, 2017, pp. 3–14, doi:10.1080/00064246.2017.1368063. Accessed 21 Nov. 2018.