Lucius Barker facts for kids

Lucius Jefferson Barker (born June 11, 1928, died June 21, 2020) was an American expert in political science. Political science is the study of how governments work and how people make decisions in society.

He was a respected professor at important universities like Washington University in St. Louis and Stanford University. Barker was a very important scholar who studied constitutional law (the rules for how the government works) and civil liberties (your basic rights as a person). He also focused on how race and ethnicity affect politics in the United States. He wrote books about people's rights in America and about systemic racism (unfair systems that affect certain groups).

Barker also helped with several presidential campaigns. He even wrote books about the Jesse Jackson 1984 presidential campaign, where he was a delegate.

Lucius Barker's Early Life and Education

Lucius Barker was born in Franklinton, Louisiana, on June 11, 1928. He grew up with five brothers and sisters.

He first planned to study medicine when he went to Southern University in Baton Rouge. But after taking a class with Professor Rodney Higgins, he decided to study political science instead. He earned his bachelor's degree in political science from Southern University in 1949.

After that, Barker continued his studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. He earned his master's degree in 1950 and his doctorate (PhD) four years later. His advisor there was Jack Peltason. Lucius Barker made history at the University of Illinois. He was the first Black teaching assistant in the College of Arts and Science.

Lucius Barker's Career in Academia

After finishing his PhD, Lucius Barker worked as a Fellow at the University of Illinois. He taught there for several years. Later, he returned to Southern University and then taught at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.

In 1964, he was a special Fellow at Harvard Law School. In 1967, his former advisor, Jack Peltason, invited Barker to come back to the University of Illinois. Peltason was now the chancellor, and Barker became an assistant chancellor.

Teaching and Leadership Roles

In 1969, Barker joined the political science department at Washington University in St. Louis. He became the head of the department and was named the Edna Fischel Gellhorn Professor. In 1990, Barker moved to Stanford University. There, he was appointed the William Bennett Munro Professor of Political Science. He retired from teaching in 2006.

Barker was also a leader in his field. He was the president of the American Political Science Association from 1992 to 1993. He was only the second Black president of this important association. The first was Ralph Bunche, 40 years before him. Barker was also the president of the Midwest Political Science Association in 1984. He helped start the National Review of Black Politics journal, which was first called the National Political Science Review.

Important Research and Books

Lucius Barker wrote many books and articles. Several of his books are considered very important studies of American politics.

In 1970, Lucius Barker and his brother Twiley Barker wrote a textbook called Civil Liberties and the Constitution. This book has been published many times and is a classic textbook about the American legal system. It helps people understand how the law protects our rights.

In 1980, he published Black Americans and the Political System. This book was later updated and called African Americans and the American Political System. The American Political Science Association said it was a key book for understanding systemic racism through a political lens.

In 1984, Barker wrote a book about Jesse Jackson's presidential campaign. It was called Our time has come: A delegate's diary of Jesse Jackson's 1984 presidential campaign. This book was based on Barker's own experiences as a delegate for Jesse Jackson at the 1984 Democratic National Convention.

Connecting Research to Civil Rights

Lucius Barker's research was closely connected to the fight for civil rights and liberties. Jesse Jackson himself called Barker "a scholarly soldier in our ongoing battle for equal rights." This shows how important Barker's work was in the real world.

Barker was also well-known for his excellent teaching. Many of his students went on to become important public figures. These include Julián Castro, Joaquin Castro, Cory Booker, and Tony West.

Selected Works by Lucius Barker

• "Third Parties in Litigation: A Systemic View of the Judicial Function", The Journal of Politics (1967)
• Civil Liberties and the Constitution, with Twiley Barker (1970)
• African Americans and the American Political System, with Mack H. Jones and Katherine Tate (1980)
• Our time has come: A delegate's diary of Jesse Jackson's 1984 presidential campaign (1984)
• Jesse Jackson's 1984 presidential campaign: Challenge and change in American politics, with Ronald W. Walters (1989)