James E. Turner

James E. Turner (1940 – August 6, 2022) was an American Africana studies scholar. He was the founding director of the Cornell Africana Studies and Research Center.

Biography

Turner was born in 1940 in Brooklyn,^[1] in a family of eight children.^[2] His father was working class, and Turner attended the High School of Fashion Industries.^[3] He grew up in Manhattan. Before he entered college, he worked in the garment industry and as a social worker. From 1963 to 1966 he attended Central Michigan University, earning a sociology degree and also studying political economy.^[1][2]

The year of his graduation, Turner entered Northwestern University as a graduate student in the African Studies program. While a student there, he was involved in student-activism, and led the Black graduate student association. In that role he was involved in protests for the establishment of a Black Studies program, including a 1968 sit-in of the university bursar department. This advocacy raised his profile to the national level, and he traveled around the country.^[1] Turner received a master's degree from Northwestern.^[2]

Turner was appointed as the director of Cornell University's newly formed Africana Studies and Research Center (ASRC) in June 1969. Seven years later he earned a PhD from Union Graduate School.^[1] Turner remained director of the ASRC until 1986, and was again director form 1996 to 2001.^[2]

While Turner was leading the ASRC, the center was burnt down,^[2] by what Turner alleged was arson.^[4] At Cornell, Turner wrote papers about his view of how Black Studies should be approached, a concept he termed "Africana", which the Encyclopedia of African-American Politics defined as "an interdisciplinary Pan African approach to blackness focusing on the US, the Caribbean and Africa." He also studied Black nationalism and politics in the US and Africa.^[1]

Turner died on August 6, 2022.^[2]

Personal life

Turner was married and had three kids.^[5]

References

1. Smith, Robert (2021-05-01). "Turner, James". Encyclopedia of African-American Politics, Third Edition. Infobase Holdings, Inc. p. 596. ISBN 978-1-4381-9939-9.
2. "In Memoriam: James E. Turner, 1940-2022". The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. 2022-08-19. Retrieved 2024-03-21.
3. Nutt, David. "James Turner, a 'giant' of Africana studies, dies at 82". Cornell Chronicle. Retrieved 2024-03-21.
4. Turner, James (April 6, 1970). "Statement: Africana Fire". The Cornell Daily Sun. Retrieved 2024-03-21.
5. Cusolito, Kara (2011-10-12). "Lasting Impact: James and Janice Turner have made their mark on Ithaca". Ithaca Times. Retrieved 2024-03-21.

Further reading

• Fenderson, Jonathan B.; Katungi, Candace (2012). ""Committed to Institution Building": James Turner and the History of Africana Studies at Cornell University, an Interview". Journal of African American Studies. 16 (1): 121–167. ISSN 1559-1646. JSTOR 43525478.
• Downs, Donald Alexander (2012-09-04). Cornell '69: Liberalism and the Crisis of the American University. Cornell University Press. ISBN 978-0-8014-6615-1.
• Brown, Scot (2017-08-12). Discourse on Africana Studies: James Turner and Paradigms of Knowledge. Diasporic Africa Press. ISBN 978-1-937306-22-9.