Derrick Bell has died; a true AA Icon

[Kola Boof 15]

Pioneering Harvard Law Professor Derrick Bell dies at 80:

http://www.nytimes.c...p&smid=fb-share

On a personal note:

Derrick did so much for me....I can't even begin to express what a great person he was.

For years, no one would touch my current novel "Sexy Part of the Bible" (which Derrick LOVED!) and he took the book and agented it himself. He took it to Karen Rinaldi at Bloomsbury and some other people. Despite his insistence that "This girl is the next Alice Walker--I stake my life on it"---no one

bought it. But he was so determined to see the book published and he was so angry at the way the U.S. media & the Black literati treated me. He hated injustice of any type.

When the book was finally published by Johnny Temple, Derrick gave us TWO blurbs and gave 50 copies to his students "To help you get your sales going Kola."

One thing I also loved about Derrick...was how he talked his wife, JANET. Even in his 70's & 80's he had

such a vibrant; "fresh" love for his wife. He spoke about her like she was a genius. I loved that!

Derrick also did a whole class on me at NYU when I was fired from "Days of Our Lives"--the class was about how I could sue the network & sponsors & others (it was the Bin Laden scandal). But just that level of caring and fairness in his character was riveting. He was truly my Play Grandfather as I called him.

The photo I posted here shows Derrick out to dinner with me and a friend last year. He was such a DEAR, WONDERFULLY brilliant...perfect man! Just the best. I too remember him walking (as Joan Morgan said). walking from the restaurant to his cab. Walking & ALWAYS talking. He was everything.

This is a great loss for the "good" in the world.

I will truly miss him.

[Troy 2,211]

Nice tribute Kola I'll lin to this from the Derrick Bell Page: http://aalbc.com/authors/derrickbell.htm

[Cynique 2,306]

Kola, did Dr. Bell ever express any opinons about Cornell West's criticism of Obama?

[Kola Boof 15]

Hi Cynique,

Just saw this.

Derrick was for Obama until the end.

Derrick never mentioned Cornel West to me, ever.

Overall, I never got the feeling that Derrick believe in (or cared about)

the Political Establishment. He & I seemed to be alike on that. I could

be wrong. But he always mentioned the political realm as though it

was an "outside menace"---even when discussing our side, the Democrats.

Kola