Abstract Bayard Rustin influenced the trajectory of Black political rhetoric in the post-civil rights era. In this essay, I offer a rhetorical recovery of this neglected figure, focusing on the centrality of his emphasis on coalitional politics to the Black freedom struggle while noting that his stress on economics as the basis for coalition building shaped a rhetorical strategy tradition that I call “the rhetoric of race-neutral coalitional politics.” I also examine the legacy of this rhetorical strategy, against the backdrop of the Obama era, arguing that it silences dissent, de-emphasizes the policy priorities of Black communities, and reinforces the white gaze in Black political rhetoric and thought. I conclude that success in the Black freedom struggle depends on the community's ability to develop rhetorical strategies that position it as an equal partner in political coalitions rather than a captive participant.

Book Review| March 01 2015 The Forgotten Prophet: Bishop Henry McNeal Turner and the African American Prophetic Tradition The Forgotten Prophet: Bishop Henry McNeal Turner and the African American Prophetic Tradition. By Andre E. Johnson. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2012; pp. viii + 127. $60.00 cloth. Theon E. Hill Theon E. Hill West Chester University Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Rhetoric and Public Affairs (2015) 18 (1): 184–187. https://doi.org/10.14321/rhetpublaffa.18.1.0184 Cite Icon Cite Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Permissions Search Site Citation Theon E. Hill; The Forgotten Prophet: Bishop Henry McNeal Turner and the African American Prophetic Tradition. Rhetoric and Public Affairs 1 March 2015; 18 (1): 184–187. doi: https://doi.org/10.14321/rhetpublaffa.18.1.0184 Download citation file: Zotero Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All Scholarly Publishing CollectiveMichigan State University PressRhetoric and Public Affairs Search Advanced Search The text of this article is only available as a PDF. © 2015 Michigan State University Board of Trustees. All rights reserved.2015 Article PDF first page preview Close Modal You do not currently have access to this content.