Shelby Steele facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shelby Steele
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Steele receiving the National Medal of the Humanities in 2004
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| Born | January 1, 1946 |
| Education | Coe College (BA) Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville (MA) University of Utah (PhD) |
Shelby Steele (born January 1, 1946) is an American author, columnist, and documentary film maker. He works as a Senior Fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution. He focuses on studying how different groups of people get along, how many cultures mix, and programs like affirmative action.
In 1990, he won the National Book Critics Circle Award for his book The Content of Our Character. In 2004, Steele received the National Medal of the Humanities.
Contents
Early Life and School
Steele was born in Phoenix, Illinois, a village near Chicago. His father was Black, and his mother was White. His parents, Shelby Sr. and Ruth, helped start the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). Steele went to an all-Black elementary school. His grandfather was born into slavery in Kentucky. His twin brother, Claude Steele, is a psychology professor emeritus at Stanford University.
Steele earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Coe College. He then received a master's degree in sociology from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Later, he earned a Ph.D. in English from the University of Utah. He met his wife, Rita Silverman, while they were students at Coe College. Steele was also involved in the SCOPE Project, which helped people register to vote.
Before his current work, Steele taught English at San Jose State University for 20 years.
His Career and Ideas
Shelby Steele is sometimes called a Black conservative. He does not support policies like affirmative action. He believes these programs, meant to help African Americans, have not worked well.
Steele thinks that Black people have been "betrayed twice." First, by slavery and unfair treatment. Second, by government programs that give special treatment based on race. He believes these programs can stop people from taking charge of their own lives.
He has said that programs like affirmative action help people feel good about being fair, but they don't always truly help Black people.
Steele also believes that seeing oneself as a victim can be a big problem for Black Americans. He thinks some White Americans see Black people as victims to feel less guilty. He also believes some Black people try to use their victim status to gain things, but this doesn't lead to real, lasting value. He suggests that Black people should focus on "excellence and achievement" instead of relying on special programs.
Views on Barack Obama
Steele wrote a book called A Bound Man: Why We Are Excited About Obama and Why He Can't Win in 2007. In this book, Steele looked at Barack Obama's background as a child of mixed parents who grew up as a Black man.
Steele concluded that Obama was "bound" to his "Black identity." He explained that being part of today's Black identity, which is very political, can take over a person's self. He felt that Obama needed to "be Black," and this desire meant he couldn't easily reject the liberalism often linked to this racial identity.
After Obama won the 2008 U.S. presidential election, Steele said the book's subtitle was a marketing idea from his publisher. He explained Obama's win by saying Obama helped White Americans feel less guilty about racism. Steele stated that "White America has made tremendous moral progress since the '60s." He felt Obama's election showed this progress.
Views on Israel
Steele has also shared his thoughts on how the world views Israel. He believes that "world opinion" often criticizes Israel for its actions.
He pointed out that some music bands have canceled concerts in Israel. He also mentioned that the United Nations and other groups often pass resolutions against Israel. Steele feels that these criticisms are sometimes unfair.
What Killed Michael Brown?
What Killed Michael Brown? is a documentary film written and narrated by Shelby Steele. His son, Eli Steele, directed it. The film was released in October 2020. It looks at race relations in the United States. It also focuses on an event in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014 involving Michael Brown.
Steele believes there is a "poetic truth" about Michael Brown's death. He said that phrases like "he was 'executed'" or "hands up, don't shoot" were powerful but not always true. He feels that in today's race relations, the real truth is often hidden by the "politics of victimization."
Initially, Amazon did not want to stream the film on its Prime Video service. However, after criticism from news articles, Amazon changed its mind and made the film available.
Awards and Recognition
- National Book Critics Circle Award (1990) for his book The Content of Our Character.
- Emmy and Writers Guild Awards for his 1991 documentary film Seven Days in Bensonhurst.
See Also
- Black conservatism in the United States
