James Cone nasceu o 5 de agosto de 1938 em Arkansas, EUA. Foi casado com Sondra Gibson e Rose Hampton. Morreu o 28 de abril de 2018 em Manhattan, Nova York, EUA.
Anger and humor are like the right and left arm. They complement each other. Anger empowers the poor to declare their uncompromising opposition to oppression and humor prevents them from being consumed by their fury.