Lerone Bennett, Jr. (born 17 October 1928) is an African-American scholar, author and social historian, known for his revisionist analysis of race relations in the United States. His works include "When the Wind Blows" and "History of Us".
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Bennett was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi, the son of Lerone Bennett, MR. and Alma Reed. When he was young, his family moved to Jackson, Mississippi.
Bennett graduated from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. He has noted this time was integral to his intellectual development. Mr. Bennett is also a distinguished member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity.
He is most notable for his decades as executive editor for Ebony Magazine, to which he was promoted in 1958. It has served as his base for the publication of a steady stream of articles on African-American history, some of them collected into books.
In addition Bennett has written several books, including numerous histories of the African-American experience. These include his first work Before the Mayflower: A History of Black America, 1619-1962 and Forced into Glory: Abraham Lincoln's White Dream. The former discusses the contributions of African Americans in the United States. The latter questions President Abraham Lincoln's role as the "Great Emancipator".
He married Gloria Sylvester on July 21, 1956. They had four children together: Alma Joy, Constance, Courtney, and Lerone III.
Honorary degrees from Morehouse College, Wilberforce University, Marquette University, Voorhees College, Morgan State University, University of Illinois, Lincoln College, and Dillard University.