Scholar and activist HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR. He's Professor of English and Chairman of Afro-American Studies at Harvard and one of Afro-American studies most visible and controversial proponents. GATES believes that Black studies should be a methodology, not an ideology, and that you don't have to be black to teach African-American literature. He defended the rap group 2 Live Crew in court in Florida testifying that the group was "parodying stereotypes of blacks, following the old African-American tradition of 'signifying,' or humorous put-downs." GATES has a new memoir of his early years, "Colored People," (
Copyright 1994 Fresh Air
