Lenny McAllister
Encyclopedia
Lenny McAllister is a conservative American political commentator for a number of newspapers and websites, including AOL
and The Root.
McAllister endured a significant level of racism growing up in 1980s Pittsburgh including a story involving racial taunts to him as a pitcher during a youth baseball game. Growing up, McAllister's parents had him do weekly reading on African-American studies as a small youth, a trend that continued throughout his scholastic days as a way to combat racism and esteem-related issues.
for a few years before leaving to take a scholarship to Shady Side Academy
. McAllister graduated from Shady Side in 1989, earning scholarship offers to several universities.
In 1989, McAllister enrolled at Davidson College
, on "the 13-year path to a four-year degree". McAllister was slated to walk-on the Davidson basketball team as a freshman but declined after coach Bobby Hussey
left Davidson after the 1988–1989 school year. He was a pitcher on the baseball team. McAllister left school in 1992 for a sabbatical that lasted a decade. Before leaving that spring, McAllister contributed a piece on Black History Month to the school paper The Davidsonian, receiving numerous anonymous threats, including isolated death threats.
McAllister dropped out of college for a decade and became a father at age 21 with the first of his two children. Before returning to college, McAllister worked various jobs, including as a janitor at a local K-Mart and as a deli clerk at a local Giant Eagle
. While working at Giant Eagle
he helped pen the infamous Super Bowl
song that the 1994 Pittsburgh Steelers prepared to record after playing the San Diego Chargers to advance to Super Bowl XXIX
in January 1995. Pittsburgh lost to San Diego 17-13 and the song was never produced.
In 2000, McAllister re-enrolled at Davidson College
, graduating with a history degree in 2002.
to discourage Blacks and moderate Democrats from voting for McAllister, after McAllister was slated to win one of five seats in non-official polling.
In July 2008, McAllister was featured in a series of commercials on Black Entertainment Television
regarding the upcoming election. Soon after, Fox Charlotte cast him as their political contributor during the 2008 campaign. McAllister provided live commentary during question-and-answer sessions and live editorials weekly on the "Fox News Rising" morning show, the Charlotte morning show.
McAllister attended the 2008 Republican National Convention
representing Hip Hop Republicans, and provided commentary on CNN
, Fox Charlotte, XM Radio, and BET, as well as webcasts on Washington Post and Fox. On CNN American Morning
, he gave a critical view of the approach to the Governor Sarah Palin
VP introduction to America, saying that her daughter’s pregnancy was an opportunity to make a connection to everyday Americans instead of trying to portray the Palins as perfect.
, Newsweek
, and The Dallas Morning News
. McAllister usually represents the Republican point of view in his writings, but often writes from an Afro-centric perspective and has spoken out against racism in politics and society. McAllister was a featured speaker at several Tea Party protests across the nation throughout 2009.
AOL
AOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
and The Root.
Early life
McAllister was born Leonard Francis McAllister, Jr. on January 13, 1972 in Pittsburgh to parents Leonard Senior and Carol McAllister. Both he and his mother almost died during childbirth. McAllister grew up in the Penn Hills, a working-class suburb outside Pittsburgh. His father was a computer technician and an electrician for a local steel mill, and his mother ran a daycare out of the family home before her death in 2006.McAllister endured a significant level of racism growing up in 1980s Pittsburgh including a story involving racial taunts to him as a pitcher during a youth baseball game. Growing up, McAllister's parents had him do weekly reading on African-American studies as a small youth, a trend that continued throughout his scholastic days as a way to combat racism and esteem-related issues.
Education and early adulthood
McAllister attended middle school at St. Bart's School, playing football and basketball. Always undersized, McAllister quarterbacked the school's 14-and-under football team to a championship as an 11-year-old. He then attended Central Catholic High SchoolCentral Catholic High School (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
Central Catholic High School is a Roman Catholic college preparatory school for boys in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It is a part of the Diocese of Pittsburgh and is administrated and partially staffed by the Brothers of the Christian Schools....
for a few years before leaving to take a scholarship to Shady Side Academy
Shady Side Academy
Shady Side Academy is a private, secular coeducational PK-12 preparatory school located on three campuses in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, established in 1883.- Campuses :Shady Side Academy has three campuses in Pittsburgh....
. McAllister graduated from Shady Side in 1989, earning scholarship offers to several universities.
In 1989, McAllister enrolled at Davidson College
Davidson College
Davidson College is a private liberal arts college in Davidson, North Carolina. The college has graduated 23 Rhodes Scholars and is consistently ranked in the top ten liberal arts colleges in the country by U.S. News and World Report magazine, although it has recently dropped to 11th in U.S. News...
, on "the 13-year path to a four-year degree". McAllister was slated to walk-on the Davidson basketball team as a freshman but declined after coach Bobby Hussey
Bobby Hussey
Bobby Hussey was an American basketball coach. He coached at Virginia Tech, and Davidson College.Hussey's coaching career started at Davidson College from 1981 to 1989 where he coached two 20-win seasons and the Southern Conference in 1986.He left Davidson for Clemson and then to Virginia Tech...
left Davidson after the 1988–1989 school year. He was a pitcher on the baseball team. McAllister left school in 1992 for a sabbatical that lasted a decade. Before leaving that spring, McAllister contributed a piece on Black History Month to the school paper The Davidsonian, receiving numerous anonymous threats, including isolated death threats.
McAllister dropped out of college for a decade and became a father at age 21 with the first of his two children. Before returning to college, McAllister worked various jobs, including as a janitor at a local K-Mart and as a deli clerk at a local Giant Eagle
Giant Eagle
Giant Eagle, Inc., is a supermarket chain with stores in the U.S. states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and Maryland. The company was founded in 1918 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Supermarket News ranked Giant Eagle No. 21 in the 2009 "Top 75 North American Food Retailers" based on 2008...
. While working at Giant Eagle
Giant Eagle
Giant Eagle, Inc., is a supermarket chain with stores in the U.S. states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and Maryland. The company was founded in 1918 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Supermarket News ranked Giant Eagle No. 21 in the 2009 "Top 75 North American Food Retailers" based on 2008...
he helped pen the infamous Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
song that the 1994 Pittsburgh Steelers prepared to record after playing the San Diego Chargers to advance to Super Bowl XXIX
Super Bowl XXIX
Super Bowl XXIX was an American football game played on January 29, 1995 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1994 regular season...
in January 1995. Pittsburgh lost to San Diego 17-13 and the song was never produced.
In 2000, McAllister re-enrolled at Davidson College
Davidson College
Davidson College is a private liberal arts college in Davidson, North Carolina. The college has graduated 23 Rhodes Scholars and is consistently ranked in the top ten liberal arts colleges in the country by U.S. News and World Report magazine, although it has recently dropped to 11th in U.S. News...
, graduating with a history degree in 2002.
Career
In 2005, McAllister ran for office in Davidson, North Carolina, losing as the only Republican against an all-Democrat slate by only 56 votes. During that race, McAllister was accused by opponents of "not caring about the Black community because he’s a Republican". In 2007, McAllister ran and lost another close race, this time after an e-mail campaign by then-sitting Commissioner Johnson falsely comparing McAllister to Supreme Court Justice Clarence ThomasClarence Thomas
Clarence Thomas is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Succeeding Thurgood Marshall, Thomas is the second African American to serve on the Court....
to discourage Blacks and moderate Democrats from voting for McAllister, after McAllister was slated to win one of five seats in non-official polling.
In July 2008, McAllister was featured in a series of commercials on Black Entertainment Television
Black Entertainment Television
Black Entertainment Television is an American, Viacom-owned cable network based in Washington, D.C.. Currently viewed in more than 90 million homes worldwide, it is the most prominent television network targeting young Black-American audiences. The network was launched on January 25, 1980, by its...
regarding the upcoming election. Soon after, Fox Charlotte cast him as their political contributor during the 2008 campaign. McAllister provided live commentary during question-and-answer sessions and live editorials weekly on the "Fox News Rising" morning show, the Charlotte morning show.
McAllister attended the 2008 Republican National Convention
2008 Republican National Convention
The United States 2008 Republican National Convention took place at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota, from September 1, through September 4, 2008...
representing Hip Hop Republicans, and provided commentary on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
, Fox Charlotte, XM Radio, and BET, as well as webcasts on Washington Post and Fox. On CNN American Morning
American Morning
American Morning is the morning television show on CNN. It premiered in 2001.-About the show:American Morning is hosted by Ashleigh Banfield, Zoraida Sambolin & Soledad O'Brien. Others who appear regularly are Rob Marciano with the weather, Sunny Hostin on legal news, and CNN senior medical...
, he gave a critical view of the approach to the Governor Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
VP introduction to America, saying that her daughter’s pregnancy was an opportunity to make a connection to everyday Americans instead of trying to portray the Palins as perfect.
Writing and Speaking Presence
McAllister writes for several online magazines and blogs. He has also been published in the Charlotte PostCharlotte Post
The Charlotte Post, founded in 1878, targets the African American community in the Charlotte, North Carolina metropolitan area. The Post is read by thousands of area residents and has earned numerous national and local journalism and service awards....
, Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
, and The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News is the major daily newspaper serving the Dallas, Texas area, with a circulation of 264,459 subscribers, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported in September 2010...
. McAllister usually represents the Republican point of view in his writings, but often writes from an Afro-centric perspective and has spoken out against racism in politics and society. McAllister was a featured speaker at several Tea Party protests across the nation throughout 2009.