![](https://billmoyers.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/James-Cone-1007_026_bw_r-640x360.jpg)
James Cone grew up in the small town of Bearden, Arkansas, in the 1940s and 1950s. His family lived in the “colored section” of the town, an experience he often describes in his writings and lectures as “decisive” in his development as a theologian. He frequently wondered how the white citizens of his town could consider themselves good Christians while subjecting their black neighbors to racial segregation and everyday bigotry. After becoming a pastor at age 17 and leading congregations in several small churches, Cone opted for a more academic path in his theological development, earning his master’s and doctorate degrees. in systematic theology from Northwestern University in 1963 and 1965.
After completing his graduate studies, Cone taught religion and philosophy at Philander Smith College in Arkansas and then at Adrian College in Michigan. As the Civil Rights and Black Power movements gained momentum, he began writing about those movements’ respective leaders, Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm of Cone’s suffering. Cone published Black theology and black power in 1969 and A black theology of liberation the next year; the books are considered the two founding texts of black liberation theology.
In 1970, Cone joined the faculty of Union Theological Seminary in New York, where he became Charles A. Briggs Professor Emeritus of Systematic Theology in 1977. His other books include God of the oppressed (1975), For My People: Black Theology and the Black Church (1984), Martin & Malcolm & America: A dream or a nightmare? (1991), and The cross and the lynching tree (2011). The latter won the 2012 Nautilus Silver Award and was named one of the best religious books of 2011 by The Huffington Post. Dr. Cone died in 2018.
Any message that is not linked to the liberation of the poor in a society is not the message of Christ. Any theology indifferent to the theme of liberation is not Christian theology. Liberation theology became and remains a powerful philosophy and movement throughout the world.
— Dr. James H. Cone
Black Liberation Theology
Divinity schools and universities around the world include James Cone on their reading lists. Cone is known as the founder of Black Theology – a philosophy first expounded in Black power and black theology in 1969:
By examining what contemporary theologians say, we see that they remain silent on the condition of slavery of black people. Clearly, they see no connection between black slavery and the Christian gospel. Therefore, there was no brutal confrontation between the Gospel and white racism. There is therefore a desperate need for a black theology, a theology whose sole purpose is to apply the liberating power of the gospel to black people subject to white oppression.
Dr. Cone’s speech “The Cross and the Lynching Tree” is one of the most quoted and respected speeches of our time.
See an excerpt here:
Dr. Cone has spoken with Bill Moyers several times. Below you can check out their 2007 discussion of “The Cross and the Lynching Tree.”