Marc Lamont Hill is a Philadelphia-born academic, author, and media personality. He earned his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania and taught at prestigious institutions like Columbia University and Temple University. As of 2023, Hill serves as a Presidential Professor at CUNY Graduate Center while maintaining a media presence through platforms like BET News. He is also the founder of Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee & Books, a cultural hub in Philadelphia.

Despite his professional credentials, Hill’s legacy is marred by his repeated promotion of antisemitism, glorification of terrorist figures, and encouraging students to take part in violence at pro-Palestinian protests.

Promotion of Antisemitism and Hatred

Hill has frequently engaged in rhetoric that targets Jewish communities, promotes antisemitic tropes, and aligns himself with notorious bigots:

• Affiliation with Louis Farrakhan: Hill has praised Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, despite Farrakhan’s well-documented antisemitic remarks such as calling Jews “termites” and the “Synagogue of Satan.” Hill has shared photos and expressed admiration for Farrakhan, referring to meetings with him as “blessings.”
• “Little Zionist Shtetl” Comment: In a 2018 Facebook post, Hill used inflammatory language describing a predominantly Orthodox Jewish neighborhood in New Jersey as a “little Zionist shtetl,” evoking antisemitic stereotypes.
• Spreading Conspiracy Theories: Hill has perpetuated antisemitic narratives, including claiming that Israeli forces “train American police to harm Black and Brown people,” aligning with the controversial “Deadly Exchange” campaign promoted by extremist groups.

Support for Terrorist Figures

Hill has taken his support for Palestine to new low, openly glorifing Hamas and other convicted terrorists and violent extremists, providing them with a platform and legitimizing their actions:

• Ali Jiddah: Hill actively fundraised for Ali Jiddah, a convicted member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), responsible for a grenade attack that injured nine civilians in Jerusalem. Hill described Jiddah as a “true revolutionary.”
• Leila Khaled: Hill praised Leila Khaled, a PFLP leader involved in airplane hijackings, as a role model, rejecting the “romanticization” of non-violence and endorsing her violent methods.
• Marwan Barghouti: On social media, Hill celebrated a mural of Barghouti, who is serving life sentences for orchestrating deadly suicide bombings and shootings during the Second Intifada.
• Assata Shakur: Hill repeatedly honors Assata Shakur, a convicted domestic terrorist on the FBI’s Most Wanted List for the murder of a New Jersey state trooper. Hill calls her “Mama Assata” and has tattooed her image on his body, presenting her as a “freedom fighter.”

Inflammatory Rhetoric and Extremist Views

Hill’s statements consistently cross lines into dangerous extremism, legitimizing violence and encouraging unrest:

• Violence as a “Spectacle”: Hill has romanticized destruction, calling riots a “valuable spectacle” for attracting attention to causes. He cited “tearing up a store” as an acceptable tactic and equated modern rioters to civil rights activists.
• Normalization of Terrorism: On social media, Hill referred to violent resistance against perceived “military occupation” as “acceptable,” refusing to condemn acts of terror. His tattoo of a masked figure holding a rock further underscores his glorification of violent symbols.
• Destructive Remarks on Social Media:
  • Hill has tweeted inflammatory language, including racialized slurs like “The Caucasity of it all” to criticize perceived actions of white individuals.
  • He referred to African-American leaders collaborating with political figures as “mediocre negroes,” prompting significant backlash for spreading divisive rhetoric.

Professional Fallout

Hill’s extremist comments have had professional repercussions:

• In 2018, CNN fired him following his controversial United Nations speech, where he used the widely criticized chant “from the river to the sea.”
• Despite this, Temple University retained Hill, though his continued inflammatory activism remains a stain on his academic reputation.

Marc Lamont Hill’s career is characterized by a dangerous blend of antisemitism, support for violent extremism, and inflammatory rhetoric. His glorification of terrorists, praise for figures like Louis Farrakhan, and inflammatory remarks underscore a pattern of promoting hatred and legitimizing violence. Though he continues to occupy prestigious academic and media positions, his associations and public statements have drawn severe condemnation.