The Black Agenda will air March 29th on CSPAN

Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan  makes a point below during the panel discussion Saturday.
(photos by Al Podgorski/Sun-Times)

ARTICLE BY MAUREEN O’DONNELL Staff Reporter

In the words of Princeton Professor Cornel West, it was about “a black face in a high place.”

President Obama was the target of slings and arrows Saturday from some of the nation’s most quoted African-American leaders — but, they said repeatedly, it was all done “in love.”

The rollicking “black agenda” debate at Chicago State University focused on African-American concerns, including jobs and education — and whether Obama is doing enough. Organized by talk show host Tavis Smiley, it was part revival and all theater.

“I’m very proud,” Minister Louis Farrakhan said with timing that drew laughter, “that a black man sits in the White” — he paused — “House.”

But Obama received mass support from African-American voters, the Nation of Islam leader said, and “we have a right to expect something of the brother.”

Participants (clockwise from front) are the Rev. Jesse Jackson; Michael Fauntroy, assistant professor at George Mason University; Professor Cornel West; host Tavis Smiley; Julianne Malveaux, Bennett College president; Raven Curling, CSU student government president; Minister Louis Farrakhan; University of Maryland Professor Ron Walters; Angela Glover Blackwell, founder of PolicyLink; Brainwashed author Tom Burrell; Georgetown prof Michael Eric Dyson, and Dorothy Tillman.

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