William Jelani Cobb (born August 21, 1969)[1] is an American writer,[2] author, educator, and dean of the Columbia Journalism School.

Cobb counted being taught to write at an early age by his father, Willie Lee Cobb—an electrician with a third-grade education—among his earliest memories.

"[citation needed] Cobb attended Jamaica High School followed by Howard University in Washington, D.C., where it took him seven years to complete his undergraduate degree because he did not consistently have the funds to pay tuition.

It was around this time that Cobb, seeking to connect more with African tradition, decided to add "Jelani"—a word meaning "powerful"—to his name.

While doing research at the New York University library, Cobb stumbled upon a cache of previously unpublished writings by Harold Cruse, an influential scholar.

Cobb has authored several books, including a scholarly monograph based on his doctoral thesis titled Antidote to Revolution: African American Anticommunism and the Struggle for Civil Rights, 1931–1957.