ABSTRACT
This chapter extols John R. Rickford’s formidable scholarly prowess and also acknowledges academic collaborations with two members of his family, and some of his former students, all of whom revere John with a degree of affection typically reserved for cherished members of one’s own family. This chapter selects and summarizes five key publications that highlight the theoretical contributions, originality, and interdisciplinarity of Rickford’s work. In sociolinguistics, Rickford’s research on stressed /bɪn/, ‘cut-eye,’ ‘suck-teeth,’ and the copula provided morphosyntactic, suprasegmental phonological and kinesic data important for addressing questions about the historical origins of African American English (AAE). A towering humanitarian contribution, Spoken Soul (2000a) helped a wide audience including educators, social scientists, policy makers, and general readers appreciate the importance of language in the African American community from the inception of slavery to the contemporary period. Finally, the chapter ends with a key piece reflecting Rickford’s collaborative work to address linguistic injustice.
