Benjamin Blair had intended to pursue a career in academia but was told by his graduate advisor, one of the first African American social science professors in the Ivy League, that the academy was about to go crazy (this was decades ago) and that there was no place for someone who did not hold extreme radical views. Taking this advice to heart, Ben left academia, went into business, and never looked back. Today Mr. Blair is excited to be a staffer at Chicago Contrarian. In his retirement, he looks forward to a city in which he can pull up to an intersection without the fear of being carjacked, and one in which everyone, from senior living residents to students, are able to express their opinions without fear of cancellation.
