Cheryl McKissack Daniel with Charlamagne Tha God: The Black Family Who Built America: The McKissacks, Two Centuries of Daring Pioneers

Cheryl McKissack Daniel—fifth-generation leader of the nation’s oldest Black-owned design and construction services firm, McKissack & McKissack—sits down with multimedia mogul Lenard “Charlamagne Tha God” McKelvey to discuss her family's extraordinary 200-year history, as captured in her new book The Black Family Who Built America: The McKissacks, Two Centuries of Daring Pioneers.

This event will take place in person at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library on the 7th Floor.

From the National Civil Rights Museum in Tennessee, to the Atlantic Yards (Pacific Park) LIRR Yard relocation, the Barclays Center Arena construction in Brooklyn, the Oculus in Manhattan, the New Terminal One at JFK International Airport, and the cherished Lincoln Financial Field of the Philadelphia Eagles, Cheryl McKissack Daniel’s family-run construction business, McKissack & McKissack, has contributed to the creation of some of the nation’s most significant landmarks.

In The Black Family Who Built America: The McKissacks, Two Centuries of Daring Pioneers by Cheryl McKissack Daniel with Nick Chiles, the complete and intriguing narrative of the McKissacks is revealed. Moses McKissack was taken from his home territory in West Africa and transported to America as a slave. He became an exceptional craftsman while enslaved, mastering the trade that would later bring recognition to his family in the early 19th century. Moses taught his children his craft and helped them attain their freedom following the Civil War. The McKissack family found their home in Tennessee, navigating the construction industry amid widespread discrimination and establishing a presence that now has its latest generation excelling at the highest levels in the field.

Over the course of the 200-year history of the McKissack family, which spans from the antebellum South to the present, one consistent theme stands out: the significance of determination, creativity, and strategic foresight in building a legacy that still motivates and influences the construction sector. Leading to Cheryl McKissack Daniel's ascent to the pinnacle of a traditionally male-dominated industry, The Black Family Who Built America showcases a compelling narrative of Black achievement, resilience, and a legacy that endures.

To join the event in person | Doors will open 30 minutes before the program begins. For free events, we generally overbook to ensure a full house. Priority will be given to those who have registered in advance, but registration does not guarantee admission. All registered seats are released shortly before start time, and seats may become available at that time. A standby line will form 30 minutes before the program.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cheryl McKissack Daniel is a civil engineer, a graduate of Howard University, and the award-winning president and CEO of McKissack & McKissack. She serves as principal-in-charge and project executive on numerous high-profile projects, including major work in the commercial, healthcare, education, and transportation sectors. She serves on numerous, corporate, charitable, and community boards, and has been honored as a “Hero of Liberty” for her support of humanitarian initiatives and for promoting the responsibilities of a free and diverse America. Born in Nashville to architect William DeBerry and teacher, Leatrice Buchanan McKissack, Cheryl represents the fifth generation of the McKissack family’s century-old business, the oldest minority and woman-owned professional design and construction firm in the nation. She resides in New York. The McKissack & McKissack headquarters is in mid-town NY, with the sister office in Philadelphia, and other satellite offices around the country. 

Charlamagne Tha God is a multi-media mogul best known for cohosting iHeartRadio’s The Breakfast Club. In addition to starring on television, he is also the CEO of the Black Effect Podcast Network, his own production company, CThaGod World LLC, and cohosts the popular podcast The Brilliant Idiots. Hailing from the small town of Moncks Corner, South Carolina, Charlamagne quickly rose to become one of today’s most compelling media personalities. Known for his ability to interview politicians and celebrities with the same unique POV, through his various platforms he helps drive the national conversations around race, culture, and politics. He is the author of Get Honest or Die Lying: Why Small Talk Sucks, the New York Times bestselling Black Privilege, and the global bestseller Shook One.

GET THE BOOK

• Borrow: NYPL Catalog


• This event will also include signing and sales of the book by our Library Shop.

Don't have a New York Public Library card? Get one here!

ACCESSIBILITY NOTES

In-Person

• Assistive listening devices and/or hearing loops are available at the venue.


• You can request a free ASL (American Sign Language) interpretation or CART (Communication Access Real-Time Translation) captioning service by emailing your request at least two weeks in advance of the event: email accessibility@nypl.org or use this Gmail template.


• This venue is fully accessible to wheelchairs.

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Please submit all press inquiries to Connor Goodwin at least 48 hours before the event: email connorgoodwin@nypl.org.
 

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All programs are subject to change or cancellation. All programs are subject to recording and photography.

The 7 Stories Up Series at SNFL is made possible by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF).