This is the final in a three-part Black History Month series celebrating Black academicians and their work.
Melanye T. Price, Rutgers University
Dr. Melanye Price is an associate professor of Africana studies at Rutgers University and a well-known Black political scientist. Price’s 2016 book, The Race Whisperer: Barack Obama and the Political Uses of Race, analyzes the manner in which Obama used race strategically to gain the loyalty of his supporters.
“Price has written a wonderfully rich treatment of President Barack Obama’s rhetoric and his usages of race,” said author Randal Maurice Jelks. “It is a highly critical yet restrained analysis of his presidency. This book invites readers to think closely about how politicians, especially African-American politicians, use race in American national politics. More importantly, it serves as a guidebook for African-American voters and how they might assess the use of race in political rhetoric and discourse.”
Price’s research interest focuses on public opinion, Black politics, social movements and political psychology. Prior to joining the faculty at Rutgers, Price — who earned her Ph.D. from the Ohio State University — taught at Wesleyan University.
Michael J. Sorrell, Paul Quinn College
Dr. Michael J. Sorrell is perhaps one of the nation’s most innovative college presidents. By most accounts, Sorrell has turned around Paul Quinn College — the small, private Methodist-affiliated historically Black college in Dallas, Tx.
