Thomas Sowell is an American economist, syndicated columnist, writer and social theorist who currently serves as a Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. He is often described as a black conservative for his old-fashioned assessments of economic theories, encouraging hard work and self-sufficiency. Prior to settling in his current position, he taught at several institutions, including Howard University, Rutgers, Cornell University, Brandeis University, Amherst College, and University of California, Los Angeles. He also did military service for two years during the Korean War and was an employee of the U.S. Department of Labor. As a columnist, he has penned articles for many prestigious newspapers, magazines, and online publications. He has authored over 30 books so far in his writing career, including 'Race and Economics', 'A Conflict of Visions', 'The Vision of the Anointed', 'Black Rednecks and White Liberals', and 'Intellectuals and Race'. Despite being criticized for his controversial ideas, he is considered one of the greatest African-American thinkers of his generation.