Phumlani M. UMajozi ― Roland Fryer – an inspiration to troubled Black communities

Phumlani M. UMajozi, the South African libertarian writes about Roland G. Fryer, Jr. , the Henry Lee Professor of Economics at Harvard University, and the recent recipient of the prestigious John Bates Clark Medal.

                           

He writes: "When the American Economic Association (AEA), the professional body of academic economists in the United States of America, announces the winner of the John Bates Clark Medal each year, acknowledging the “American economist under the age of forty who is judged to have made the most significant contribution to economic thought and knowledge”, the recipient is usually of white race and from privileged background. But in April this year, things were different. The man who won the prize isn’t white, he’s black, and was bred up in the ghettos of Florida and Texas, poor. His name is Roland Gehrard Fryer, Jnr. – a professor of economics at Harvard University. 

At least a week ago, I read a short article by The Economist about his life, I found Fryer’s story very inspiring. The article was published in the midst of chaos in Baltimore. It was a reminder that there are, African-Americans out there, who overcome serious hurdles to succeed in life. It made think profoundly. That I couldn’t wait to write a piece this week to encourage people to familiarize themselves with this blazingly smart human being."

Read more: https://policydebates.wordpress.com/2015/05/22/roland-fryer-an-inspiration-to-troubled-black-communities/