Ta-Nehisi Coates - Ta-Nehisi Coates is a senior editor for The Atlantic, where he writes about culture, politics, and social issues for TheAtlantic.com and the magazine. He is the author of the memoir The Beautiful Struggle. More

Born in 1975, the product of two beautiful parents. Raised in West Baltimore—not quite The Wire, but sometimes ill all the same. Studied at the Mecca for some years in the mid-’90s. Emerged with a purpose, if not a degree. Slowly migrated up the East Coast with a baby and my beloved, until I reached the shores of Harlem. Wrote some stuff along the way.

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Longevity Has Its Purposes...

By Ta-Nehisi Coates

Jan 18 2010, 9:00 AM ET Comment

...but so does greatness. I've become quite the King-ite in my old age. I was watching clips this morning of him and Malcolm argue for their particular points. Malcolm is my heart. Martin is my brain.

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