Atheists of Color - A List

So here it is, as promised -- a list of prominent atheists of color.

And, since it seemed relevant -- here, also, is a list of organizations of atheists of color, and atheist organizations predominantly focused on/ participated in by people of color.

If you're helping to organize an atheist conference, and you want your conference to be more diverse and more reflective of the makeup of the atheist community? If you're an atheist writer or activist, and you want your quotations/ citations/ blogroll/ etc. to be more diverse and more reflective of the makeup of the atheist community? If you're simply part of the atheist community/ movement, and you want to be more familiar with the work of a wider range of atheists, a range that's more diverse and more reflective of the makeup of the atheist community? Hopefully, this list will help.

(Note: In case you're not already aware of it, here, in a similar vein, is a large list of awesome female atheists, compiled by Jen McCreight at BlagHag.)

A couple of quick notes before the list itself. First, and very importantly: This is a work in progress, and I'll be updating it regularly. So please feel free to make suggestions. If there are people who aren't on this list who you think should be, or people who are on the list but you think shouldn't be (because they're not self-acknowledged atheists, for instance) -- or if there's information on the list that's inaccurate or incomplete -- please let me know, either in the comments, or by emailing me at greta (at) gretachristina (dot) com. And if you yourself are on this list and want me to either remove you or correct/ update your information, please let me know.

(Important note: If you make suggestions of people who should be included in this list, please don't just tell me their name! I need their name, the URL for their blog/ website if they have one, and a SHORT list of credentials: books, blogs, publications they write for, achievements, etc. If you only give me their name, I have to do a bunch of Googling and editing, and it'll take longer to get them in.)

Second: This is not intended to be a list of famous atheists of color throughout history. That would certainly be a useful project -- but it's not this project. This is meant to be a list af atheists of color who are alive and active now.

Third: I do not want to get into an argument here about why we need this list, or how we should just be color blind and ignore race altogether. In a perfect world, maybe we wouldn't need it. We don't live in a perfect world. Among other things, well- meaning people can unconsciously perpetuate racial bias without intending to... and we need to take conscious action to counter this unconscious tendency. If you think the atheist movement doesn't need to make a conscious effort to be more inclusive, then please read these pieces:

Getting It Right Early: Why Atheists Need to Act Now on Gender and Race
Race, Gender, and Atheism, Part 2: What We Need To Do -- And Why

And if, after reading those pieces -- not skimming them or reading the titles, but actually reading them -- you still think we don't need to make a conscious effort to be more inclusive of people of color, then please make your arguments ON THOSE POSTS. Not here. Comments here arguing that we don't need this list will be disemvoweled or deleted. This post is for people who will find this list useful and informative, and/or who want to make suggestions about keeping it accurate and up to date.

Finally: Yes, I'm aware of the ironies and potential pitfalls of a white person compiling and publishing this list. Most obviously and most seriously, I know that it's problematic for a white person to be the "gatekeeper" of a list like this. Any time a list like this gets compiled, decisions have to be made about who to include and who not to include... and I get that it's problematic for a white person to be the one making those decisions. If a list like this already existed, compiled by a person of color, I'd just link to it and publicize the hell out it. But I asked a whole bunch of people of all races if they knew of such a list, and nobody did... and the general response was, "Yeah, that'd be useful, someone should really do that, HINT HINT." The general sentiment seemed to be that it would be really, really good for a list like this to exist on the 'Net, and that I should just go ahead and do it already.

So I'm dealing with this potentiall pitfall in two ways. One: When in doubt, I'm erring on the side of inclusion. I did decide against some people whose names had been suggested (mostly bloggers who haven't updated in months, plus some people who don't seem to self-identify as atheist). But for the most part, if I was on the fence about including someone, I went ahead and included them.

Two, and much more importantly: For this post and this post only, I am relinquishing copyright. If you want to copy this list and re-publish it on your own blog or forum or website or whatever -- and you want to add to/ subtract from/ make changes to it as you see fit -- please do so. I'm not only okay with this: I actively encourage it. In fact, if you do so, please tell me about it, and I'll link to your list here.

(Other lists, from people who have taken me up on this offer:
Lists of Atheist/Agnostic Contacts You May Not Have Considered, at The Word Of Me...)

So here it is, as promised -- a list of prominent atheists of color.

INDIVIDUALS

Mina Ahadi, founder of the Central Council of Ex-Muslims (Zentralrat der Ex-Muslime) and the International Committee against Stoning
Ayaan Hirsi Ali, author of Infidel and Nomad, activist, politician, founder of the AHA Foundation
Norm Allen, author of African American Humanism and Black Secular Humanist Thought, editor-in-chief of Human Prospect: A Neo-Humanist Perspective, secretary of Paul Kurtz's Institute for Science and Human Values, former head of African Americans for Humanism
Apanage21, blogger
Maggie Ardiente, director of development and communications, American Humanist Association; editor of Humanist Network News (AHA's weekly e-zine)
Homa Arjomand, coordinator of the International Campaign Against Shari'a Court in Canada
Hector Avalos, Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Iowa State University, speaker/ debater, author of The End of Biblical Studies, Strangers in Our Own Land: Religion in U.S. Latina/o Literature, Se puede saber si Dios existe? [Can One Know if God Exists?], and more
Donald Barbera, author of Black But Not Baptist: Nonbelief and Freethought in the Black Community
Dan Barker, co-president of Freedom From Religion Foundation, author of several books, including Godless: How an Evangelical Preacher Became One of America's Leading Atheists and The Good Atheist: Living a Purpose-Filled Life Without God
Jamila Bey, atheist comedian and journalist
Naima Cabelle, atheist activist and member of Washington Area Secular Humanists
Ian Cromwell, musician and blogger, The Crommunist Manifesto
Dr. Narendra Dabholkar, founder, Maharashta Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samitee (Superstition Eradication Committee)
Sanal Edamaruku, author and paranormal investigator, founder-president of Rationalist International, president of the Indian Rationalist Association, creator of The Great Tantra Challenge
Afshin Ellian, columnist for Dutch daily NRC Handelsblad and Elsevier; blogger; poet; law professor at University of Leiden
Mike Estes, Atheist Coalition of San Diego; public speaker
Reginald Finley, founder of Infidel Guy radio show
MercedesDiane Griffin, blogger/ activist
Debbie Goddard, campus outreach coordinator at the Center for Inquiry, speaker, head of African Americans for Humanism
Jacques L. Hamel, Scientific Affairs Officer with United Nations, international science and technology policy expert
Zee Harrison, blogger, Black Woman Thinks
Mark Hatcher, founder of Secular Students at Howard University
Sabri Husibi, speaker, Tulsa Atheist Group
Sikivu Hutchinson, writer and editor, author of Moral Combat: Black Atheists, Gender Politics and Secular America, editor of BlackFemLens.org, Senior Fellow for the Institute for Humanist Studies
Leo Igwe, International Humanist and Ethical Union, Nigeria
David Ince, a.k.a. Caribatheist, blogger, No Religion Know Reason
JeansTake, video blogger
McKinley Jones, president, Black American Free Thought Association (BAF/TA)
S.T.Joshi, literary critic, novelist; author of God's Defenders: What They Believe and Why They Are Wrong and more; editor of Atheism: A Reader and more
Alix Jules, chair of diversity committee on the Dallas-Fort Worth Coalition for Reason
Kenan Malik, writer, lecturer, blogger, and BBC Radio broadcaster, author of Fatwa to Jihad: The Rushdie Affair and its Legacy, Strange Fruit: Why Both Sides are Wrong in the Race Debate, and more
Derrick Alaiyo McMahon, gay/ feminist/atheist blogger, The Anti-Intellect Blog
Hemant Mehta, blogger at Friendly Atheist, author of I Sold My Soul on eBay
Ian Andreas Miller, blogger, Diaphanitas
Jeffrey "Atheist Walking" Mitchell, atheist street philosopher and member of Black Skeptics
Micheal Mpagi, blogger, Quitstorm
Maryam Namazie, rights activist, commentator and broadcaster on Iran, rights, cultural relativism, secularism, religion, political Islam and other related topics; spokesperson for the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain
Taslima Nasreen, author and activist
Ramendra Nath, professor and author; head of Department of Philosophy, Patna College, Patna University; author of Why I Am Not a Hindu, Is God Dead?, The Myth of Unity of All Religions, and more
First Nation, blogger, Native Skeptic
Kwadwo Obeng, author, We Are All Africans
Adebowale Ojuro, author of Crisis of Religion
James Onen, radio broadcaster, blogger at Freethought Kampala
Charone Paget, producer/host of LAMBDA Radio Report, WRFG, Atlanta; on leadership team of Black Nonbelievers of Atlanta; founder of Queer and Atheist of Atlanta
Ernest Parker, leader of African Americans for Humanism DC
Anthony Pinn, author of numerous books on humanism, head of Institute for Humanist Studies, Agnes Cullen Arnold Professor of Humanities and Professor of Religious Studies at Rice University
Robin Quivers, radio personality
Bwambale Robert, founder, Kasese Humanist Primary School, Kasese United Humanist Association
Sid Rodrigues, scientist, researcher, organizer of Skeptics in the Pub
Arundhati Roy, author of The God of Small Things and more, activist
Salman Rushdie, author of The Satanic Verses, Midnight’s Children, Luka and the Fire of Life, Grimus, and more
Amartya Sen, Nobel-prize winning economist
Alom Shaha, science teacher, film-maker, and writer
Ariane Sherine, creator of the Atheist Bus Campaign
Labi Siffre, poet and songwriter
Simon Singh, author, journalist, TV producer, libel reform activist
Greydon Square, atheist rapper and spoken word artist
Wafa Sultan, author and critic of Islam and Islamic theocracy
David Suzuki, scientist, environmentalist and broadcaster; co-founder of the environmentalist David Suzuki Foundation
Red Tani, Filipino Freethinkers
Mandisa Lateefah Thomas, co-founder, Black Nonbelievers of Atlanta
Maria Walters, a.k.a. Masala Skeptic, blogger, Skepchick
Ayanna Watson, founder of Black Atheists of America
Wrath James White, author, blogger at Godless and Black
Clarence Williams, author of Truth
Donald Wright, author of The Only Prayer I'll Ever Pray: Let My People Go
Zhiyah, writer/blogger, The Affirmative Atheist
Indra Zuno, stage/ film/ television actress, Mexico and USA, appeared in "The Virgin of Juarez" and "The Violent Kind"

A note about Neil DeGrasse Tyson: When I was solicitiing suggestions for this list, Neil DeGrasse Tyson's name was brought up several times, by several different people. However, as I understand it, while Tyson calls himself an agnostic and a skeptic, he does not identify as an atheist, and does not want to be associated with the atheist movement. If anyone has current information showing that he does, in fact, identify as an atheist -- and can provide a citation -- I'll happily put him on the list. Until then, I'll respect his right to self-identify as he chooses. (Ditto with Ibn Warraq, who identifies as an agnostic but not an atheist.)

GROUPS/ ORGANIZATIONS/ GROUP BLOGS

African Americans for Humanism
African Americans for Humanism DC
Atheist Association of Uganda
Black American Free Thought Association (BAF/TA)
Black Atheists of America
Black Freethinkers Yahoo Group
Black FreeThinkers social network
Black Freethought discussion group, Atheist Nexus
Black Nonbelievers of Atlanta
Black Skeptics
Buddhiwadi Foundation
Central Council of Ex-Muslims (Zentralrat der Ex-Muslime)
Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain
Filipino Freethinkers
Freethought Kampala
The Grenada Free-thought Community
Harlem Community Center for Inquiry
Hispanic Atheists of all Ethnic Groups
Indian Rationalist Association
Kasese United Humanist Association
Maharashta Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samitee (Superstition Eradication Committee)
Maharashtra Blind faith Eradication Committee, a.k.a. AntiSuperstition.org
Secular Students at Howard University
South African Skeptics
Tarksheel Society (India)
Uganda Humanist Association

I hope people find this helpful. Again, if you have any suggestions for additions or corrections, please let me know: either in the comments, or by emailing me at greta (at) gretachristina (dot) com.

Comments

[Bria]

Greta...thank YOU so much for including our site, BlackFreeThinkers (Ning) in your post. We're honored. We're also found on BlogTalkRadio
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/blackfreethinkers
and Twitter @blckfreethinkers!

[teammarty]

Is it too late to add?

Lavanam from the Atheist Centre in India.

[Someone]

Great post Greta. I just wanted to warn that I stopped listening to Mr. Finley's podcast because of some of his sexist comments. That's all I will say for now.

[DFS]

may be too late, but Albert Hughes, who along with twin brother Allen Hughes, directed Menace II Society, From Hell, and the Book of Eli. Albert's atheism was referred to in this article about the book of Eli

http://www.vanityfair.com/online/oscars/2010/01/the-hughes-brothers-on-the-book-of-eli-dethroning-avatar-and-tiger-woods.html

[Mike Hunt]

Wh ds nyn pst nythng n ths st ? Wh ds t mttr wht Grt Chrstn thnks ? Wld ll y k tpprs b gvng hr scnd glnc f sh ws htr clld Grtrd Gbbns frm ldhm ? Gt lf, fr fr Gd's sk. Lv Grt t hr bhmn spctcls....

[Arthur Ward]

Greta - my name is Arthur Ward (Apanage21). I will update this on my blog page.

[C Woods]

You may want to add:
Butterfly McQueen (actress)
Scott Joplin (composer)
Frida Kahlo (artist)
Diego Riveira (artist)
Paul Robeson (singer)
Mohandes Gandhi (spiritual leader)
Whoopi Goldberg (actor)
Omar Sharif (actor)
Langston Hughes (writer)
Alice Walker (writer)
Sarah Vowell (writer)

I have a very long list of freethinkers on my blog:
http://tirelesswing.blogspot.com/2009/03/famous-freethinkers-to-e.html

Look on the right sidebar under "post categories" and "famous freethinkers" for more. You may find more atheists of color there. (I skimmed through my list quickly ---may have missed some.) Not all on my list are "atheists" and I didn't differentiate those who identify as atheists, agnostics, skeptics, or simply champions of church/state separation when I compiled the list, so you might have to do some research. I know Butterfly McQueen was definitely an atheist and a supporter of the FFRF. Also Sarah Vowell is part Native American and is an atheist.

[100% Atheist]

Atheists of "color"? What color are you talking about? Hair color? Do you mean Non-White? Funny. Maybe you should say "Non-White Atheists" You say "people of color". You might not think so but these statements are racist. F*cking White People....

[MyWorldIsOpen Blog]

Hi! I was thrilled the moment I loaded this web page of your domain. What was the main aim the moment when you took a decision to compose your first domain?