April Ryan's Race In America Panel 2026 w/ Keith Boykin, Mary Francis Berry, and Eric Michael Dyson

Join April Ryan for another installment in an ongoing series of discussions focusing on the panelists' most recent books and current events. Ryan will examine recent and longstanding issues with the following panelists:

White House Correspondent April Ryan has a unique vantage point as the only Black female reporter covering urban issues from the White House - a position she has held for over 28 years, since the Clinton era. She is now the longest-serving Black member of the press corps. Her position as a White House Correspondent has afforded her unusual insight into the racial sensitivities, issues, and attendant political struggles of our nation's past presidents. April is the Washington D.C. Bureau Chief for Black Press USA and the host of The Tea with April Ryan on Substack. She has been featured in Essence, Vogue, Cosmopolitan, and Elle Magazines to name a few. April Ryan has served on the board of the prestigious White House Correspondents Association. She is also an esteemed member of the National Press Club and the Gridiron Club. In 2015, Ms. Ryan was nominated for an NAACP Image Award (Outstanding Literary Work-Debut Author) for her first book. In 2017 April was the Journalist of the Year for the National Association of Black Journalists. April Ryan is the author of the award-winning book, The Presidency in Black and White, and At Mama's Knee, where she looks at race relations through the lessons and wisdom that mothers have given their children. April is also the author of Under Fire: Reporting from the Front Lines of the Trump White House. Her latest book, Black Women Will Save the World, celebrates Black women's resilience and unheralded strength, reflects on "The Year That Changed Everything" — 2020 — and discusses African-American women's unprecedented role in upholding democracy.

Dr. Mary Frances Berry is the Geraldine R. Segal Professor of American Social Thought and professor of history at the University of Pennsylvania. She is the former chairwoman of the US Commission on Civil Rights, a Distinguished Fellow of the American Society for Legal History, the author of 13 books, and the recipient of 37 honorary degrees. Dr. Berry has appeared on Real Time with Bill Maher, The Daily Show, Tavis Smiley, PBS NewsHour, CBS Evening News, Al Jazeera America News, and various MSNBC and CNN shows.

Keith Boykin is a New York Times–bestselling author, TV and film producer, and former CNN political commentator. A graduate of Dartmouth College and Harvard Law School, Keith served in the White House, cofounded the National Black Justice Coalition, cohosted the BET talk show My Two Cents, and taught at the Institute for Research in African-American Studies at Columbia University in New York. He’s a Lambda Literary Award–winning author and editor of seven books. He lives in Los Angeles.

Dr. Michael Eric Dyson is a distinguished professor, gifted writer, and prominent media personality. He has taught at some of the nation’s most prestigious universities, including Princeton, Brown, and Georgetown, and is currently a Distinguished University Professor at Vanderbilt University. Dr. Dyson has authored over 25 books, including seven New York Times bestsellers. He has won numerous awards for his literary achievements, including the 2020 Langston Hughes Medal, the American Book Award, and two NAACP Image Awards. In addition to his academic and writing pursuits, Dr. Dyson is also a leading public intellectual, known for his thought-provoking insights on race, social justice, and contemporary culture. His books on figures such as Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Barack Obama have garnered widespread acclaim and sparked important conversations about race in America.

@politicsprose

Visit us online at

Listen on Spotify

Politics and Prose is a beloved and award-winning staple for book lovers around the nation's capital and the world. In addition to our incredible selection of titles, Politics and Prose offers public book talks with today's leading authors and journalists.

Founded by Carla Cohen and Barbara Meade in 1984, Politics and Prose Bookstore is Washington, D.C.'s premier independent bookstore and cultural hub, a gathering place for people interested in reading and discussing books. Politics and Prose offers superior service, unusual book choices, and a haven for book lovers in the store and online.

#books #booktube