Book Section — Introduction — by Melanie E. L. Bush, Rose M. Brewer, Daniel Douglas, Loretta Chin, and Robert Newby

This essay is an editors’ introduction to the anthology Rod Bush: Lessons from a Radical Black Scholar on Liberation, Love, and Justice, edited by Melanie E. L. Bush, and co-edited by Rose M. Brewer, Daniel Douglas, Loretta Chin, and Robert Newby (2019). Roderick Douglas Bush (1945-2013) was a scholar, educator, mentor, activist and a loving human being. In reflecting on his works and a life well-lived, this anthology reaffirms that Rod Bush’s contributions are many and that lessons can be drawn from his example on how to embed a spirit dedicated to the radical social transformation in everyday living. Rod Bush was deeply convinced that “Pan-European racism is the Achilles’ heel of the modern world-system, and the demographic situation of the United States, with its large, strategically located populations of color, is a key locus of struggle for a more just, democratic, and egalitarian world order.” The volume is organized in three parts, chapters on Rod Bush’s theory in practice, his practice in theory, and a selection of two of his writings, followed by a memoriam, vita, contributors list, and index. It includes chapters written by a diverse group of scholars, students, and friends of Rod Bush.