Leonard Jeffries facts for kids

Leonard Jeffries Jr. was born on January 19, 1937, in Newark, New Jersey. He is an American political scientist and a former university professor. He was the head of the Black Studies department at the City College of New York (CCNY).

Jeffries is known for his Pan-African Afrocentrist ideas. These views suggest that the history and achievements of African people are much more important than often taught. He believed that school lessons should focus less on European history and more on African history. He also helped start the Association for the Study of Classical African Civilizations (ASCAC).

In the early 1990s, Jeffries made some statements that caused a lot of discussion. He claimed that certain groups of businessmen had a role in the Atlantic slave trade. He also said that white people were "ice people" and black people were "sun people." These comments led to him being removed from his leadership role at CCNY. This started a long legal fight.

Jeffries's Early Education and Career

Jeffries holding up a Gall–Peters projection map, a type of world map.

Leonard Jeffries Jr. went to Lafayette College for his first degree. He graduated with honors in 1959. After that, he received a special scholarship to study in Switzerland at the University of Lausanne.

In 1961, he started studying at Columbia University. He earned his master's degree there in 1965. During this time, Jeffries also worked with a program called Operation Crossroads Africa. This allowed him to spend time in several West African countries.

Teaching and Leading Black Studies

Jeffries became a political science teacher at the City College of New York (CCNY) in 1969. He earned his doctorate degree from Columbia University in 1971. His research was about politics in the Ivory Coast.

He then became the first chairman of Black Studies at San Jose State College in California. A year later, he became a full professor at CCNY. He also became the head of its new Black Studies Department.

Jeffries led CCNY's Black Studies Department for more than 20 years. He brought in other scholars who shared his views. He worked to grow the number of teachers and students in the department. During his time, the department held many important national and international events.

Besides teaching, Jeffries often traveled to Africa. He was also active in the African Heritage Studies Association. This group worked to define and develop the field of Black Studies.

Controversial Ideas and Public Statements

Jeffries became popular among students and as a speaker. He was known for his Pan-African Afrocentrist views. These ideas emphasized the important role of African people and their achievements throughout history.

He also supported a theory called the "melanin theory." This idea suggested that people with more skin pigment (melanin) were naturally better than white people. He claimed melanin helped black people connect with the "vibrations of the universe."

Jeffries also shared the idea that white people were "ice people" who were violent. He said black people were "sun people" who were peaceful. These ideas were very controversial.

In 1991, Jeffries gave a speech in New York. He made claims about certain groups of people being involved in the Atlantic slave trade. He also claimed they used the movie industry to harm black people. These comments were shown on TV and caused strong reactions.

Legal Challenges and Academic Freedom

In 1992, Jeffries's time as department chair was shortened. Then he was removed from the position, but he remained a professor. He sued the college, saying his free speech rights were violated.

In 1993, a jury agreed with him. They said his rights had been violated. He was awarded money for damages. However, the college appealed this decision.

The case led to a big discussion about academic freedom. This is the idea that professors should be able to express their views without fear of losing their jobs. It also raised questions about how much control universities have over what their department heads say.

Eventually, the courts decided that the college had the right to remove him from the leadership position. This was because his statements were seen as disruptive to his role as department chair. In 1995, a new person was chosen to lead the department.

Works

Jeffries helped create a document called "A Curriculum of Inclusion." This document suggested changing school lessons. It called for including more about African, Asian, and Latino families in what students learn.