Lansing, Mich. - The author of The New York Times #1 bestselling “Caste: The Origins of our Discontents,” Isabel Wilkerson, will host a virtual conversation with the LCC community from 10:30 a.m. until noon on Tuesday, April 19.

“Caste” details, according to the publisher, “a portrait of an unseen phenomenon in America as she explores, through an immersive, deeply researched narrative and stories about real people, how America today and throughout its history has been shaped by a hidden caste system, a rigid hierarchy of human rankings.” Published in August 2020, the book was soon named an Oprah Winfrey book club selection.

“Our virtual conversation with Isabel Wilkerson will be an unforgettable experience for our students and employees at LCC,” said LCC Chief Diversity Officer Tonya Bailey. “Wilkerson is a historian and bestselling author whose writings have brought needed attention to our nation’s past while causing us to understand our present.”

Wilkerson was the first Black woman in the history of American journalism to win a Pulitzer Prize, awarded for her work with The New York Times in 1994. President Barack Obama also awarded her the National Humanities Medal in 2016 for “championing the stories of an unsung history.” Her first book, “The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration, “won the National Book Critics Circle Award.

The author’s visit is related to LCC’s Beyond the Book Program which has provided the College community with engaging discussions all year long. “Wilkerson’s book Caste along with three other noble books, have created enlightening opportunities both in and out of the classroom,” said Bailey. “We are looking forward to this culminating discussion to our Beyond the Book Program with Isabel Wilkerson and we believe this will be a time of truth-telling, reflection and hope for everyone that attends.”

This virtual conversation is open to the Greater Lansing community and beyond. To learn more and obtain the link for the event please visit the event website.

 

About Lansing Community College

Lansing Community College, founded in 1957, is one of the largest community colleges in Michigan, serving more than 14,500 students across a six-county area each year. LCC offers courses in general education for those interested in transferring to a four-year institution, career and workforce development, developmental education and personal enrichment. To meet the professional development and training needs of regional employees, the college offers customized programs for credit, non-credit and continuing education. The Transfer Center at LCC offers students the opportunity to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees from five partner universities on the downtown LCC campus. For more information, visit lcc.edu.

Lansing Community College provides equal opportunity for all persons and prohibits discriminatory practices based on race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, creed, ancestry, height, weight, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, familial status, marital status, military status, veteran’s status, or other status as protected by law, or genetic information that is unrelated to the person’s ability to perform the duties of a particular job or position or participate in educational programs, courses, services or activities offered by the College.

The following individuals have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies: Equal Opportunity Officer, Washington Court Place, 309 N. Washington Square Lansing, MI 48933, 517-483-1730; Employee Coordinator 504/ADA, Administration Building, 610 N. Capitol Ave. Lansing, MI 48933, 517-483-1875; Student Coordinator 504/ADA, Gannon Building, 411 N. Grand Ave. Lansing, MI 48933, 517-483-1885; Human Resource Manager/Employee Title IX Coordinator, Administration Building, 610 N. Capitol Ave. Lansing, MI 48933, 517-483-1879; Student Title IX Coordinator, Gannon Building, 411 N. Grand Ave. Lansing, MI 48933, 517-483-9632.