Michael Parenti (1933–2026) was an American political scientist, academic historian and cultural critic who wrote on both scholarly and popular subjects. He taught at universities and also ran for political office, and he was known for his Marxist writings and lectures as an intellectual of the American Left. His books include Blackshirts and Reds: Rational Fascism and the Overthrow of Communism, a political history, and The Assassination of Julius Caesar: A People's History of Ancient Rome.
