The Nation of Islam's Minister Louis Farrakhan is undeniably one of the most controversial and oft-maligned figures in American social and cultural politics. Now, for the first time, leading African-American voices speak out about Farrakhan, the myth and the reality, in the process reexamining and redefining notions of black nationalism, community, and African-American leadership. With contributions from such diverse and provocative writers as Gwendolyn Brooks, Stanley Crouch, Michael Eric Dyson, and Derrick Bell, The Farrakhan Factor gets past the headlines and sound bites to examine Farrakhan - and leadership - from within the black community. Combining sophisticated thought with active, personal engagement, The Farrakhan Factor is a superlative and eminently necessary document of American racial politics.