Who is Michael Eric Dyson?

The Reverend Michael Eric Dyson is an African-American academic and author, who has written extensively on prominent figures in African-American history, such as Malcolm X, and African-American cultural icons such as Marvin Gaye. Since 2007, Dyson has been Professor of Sociology at Georgetown University in Washington DC. This article explains just who Michael Eric Dyson is.

Life

Mike Dyson, as he is often referred to colloquially, was born in Detroit, Michigan, in the United States, in October 1958. His parents were Everett and Addie Dyson. At just 19 years of age, Dyson was ordained as a Baptist minister. He also worked in factories in order to support his family. At the age of 21, Dyson enrolled at Knoxville College, a historically African-American college in Tennessee. Later, in 1985, he received his Bachelor's degree from Carson–Newman College, while his Master's and Doctorate in religion were obtained from Princeton University. Dyson's wife is writer and ordained minister Marcia L. Dyson, with whom he often lectures at college campuses across the United States.

Career

Before taking up his current post at Georgetown, Dyson taught at Chicago Theological Seminary, Brown University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, as well as Columbia University, DePaul University and the University of Pennsylvania. Dyson also serves on the board of directors of a body known as the Common Ground Foundation. This is a project which looks to empower urban youth in America, enriching their lives and improving their future prospects.

Influence and other points

Dyson has received particular attention for his recent study of the work of rapper Nas. In 2010, he edited 'Born to Use Mics: Reading Nas's Illmatic', a collection of essays based on the tracks of album. His own contribution to the book was called 'One Love, Two Brothers, Three Verses', a meditation on the apparent racist inequalities of the American penal system. Dyson has also branched out into a media career. The Michael Eric Dyson Show was first shown on American television in 2009, and is broadcast from Morgan State University. The first guest on the programme was Oprah Winfrey, the person to whom Dyson dedicated his book 'Can You Hear Me Now?: The Inspiration, Wisdom, and Insight of Michael Eric Dyson'.