What Is A Black Vernacular Intellectual?

The following essays are based upon Grant Farred's definition of a black vernacular intellectual in his book What's My Name which identifies Muhammad Ali, CLR James, Stuart Hall, and Bob Marley as ideal black vernacular intellectuals.

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Farred's qualifications for vernacularism breaks down to the following characteristics:

• The vernacular intellectual must be a public figure with influence

• The vernacular intellectual must be able to communicate and identify with "the masses" (whether through organic development or otherwise)

• The vernacular intellectual must speak "from below" and against hegemony

• The vernacular intellectual must use popular culture in order to spread their ideas to wide audience