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Interviewees

Renata Adler
Renata Adler
Journalist & Author
Genevieve Ahearne
Genevieve Ahearne
Friend of Barack Obama
Madeleine Albright
Madeleine Albright
Former U.S. Secretary of State
Clifford Alexander
Clifford Alexander
Former U.S. Secretary of the Army
Elizabeth Alexander
Elizabeth Alexander
Poet
Devin Allen
Devin Allen
Photographer
Marin Alsop
Marin Alsop
American Conductor
Linda Alvarado
Linda Alvarado
Businesswoman
Christiane Amanpour
Christiane Amanpour
Journalist
Byllye Avery
Byllye Avery
Activist
Loretta Augustine-Herron
Loretta Augustine-Herron
Community Organizer
David Axelrod
David Axelrod
Political Advisor
Edward Ayers
Edward Ayers
Historian
Joan Baez
Joan Baez
Musician & Activist
Leslie Parks-Bailey
Leslie Parks-Bailey
Gordon Parks' Daughter
Harry Belafonte
Harry Belafonte
Actor & Activist
Maurice Berger
Maurice Berger
Cultural Historian
Carl Bernstein
Carl Bernstein
Journalist
Mary Frances Berry
Mary Frances Berry
Historian
Reginald Dwayne Betts
Reginald Dwayne Betts
Poet & Prison Reform Advocate
Joe Biden
Joe Biden
U.S. President
Emily Bingham
Emily Bingham
Author
Elizabeth Blackburn
Elizabeth Blackburn
Biologist & Nobel Laureate
Joanne Bland
Joanne Bland
Activist
Judy Blume
Judy Blume
Author
Sidney Blumenthal
Sidney Blumenthal
Journalist
Phil Boerner
Phil Boerner
Classmate of Barack Obama
Christopher Bonner
Christopher Bonner
Historian
Quinn Bradlee
Quinn Bradlee
Author and Filmmaker
Carol Moseley Braun
Carol Moseley Braun
U.S Senator
Tom Brokaw
Tom Brokaw
Anchor, NBC Nightly News (1982-2004)
Philip Brookman
Philip Brookman
Curator
David Brooks
David Brooks
Columnist, The New York Times
Tina Brown
Tina Brown
Editor, Vanity Fair
Bertie Buffett
Bertie Buffett
Warren Buffett's Sister
Doris Buffett
Doris Buffett
Warren Buffett's Sister
Howard Buffett
Howard Buffett
Warren Buffett's Son
Peter Buffett
Peter Buffett
Warren Buffett's Son
Susie Buffett
Susie Buffett
Warren Buffett's Daughter
Warren Buffett
Warren Buffett
Investor & Philanthropist
Lonnie Bunch
Lonnie Bunch
Secretary, Smithsonian Institution
Michael Burlingame
Michael Burlingame
Historian
Carol Burnett
Carol Burnett
Actor
Barbara Burns
Barbara Burns
Coal Miner & Activist
Ursula Burns
Ursula Burns
Businesswoman
George H.W. Bush
George H.W. Bush
U.S. President, 1989-1993
George W. Bush
George W. Bush
U.S. President, 2001-2009
Joseph Califano
Joseph Califano
Special Assistant to Lyndon B. Johnson
Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
U.S. President, 1977-1981
Charlamagne tha God
Charlamagne tha God
Radio Host
Roz Chast
Roz Chast
Cartoonist, The New Yorker
Sandra Cisneros
Sandra Cisneros
Author
Xernona Clayton
Xernona Clayton
Activist
Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
U.S. President, 1993-2001
Hillary Clinton
Hillary Clinton
U.S. Politician
Ta-Nehisi Coates
Ta-Nehisi Coates
Author & Journalist
Jelani Cobb
Jelani Cobb
Historian & Author
Richard Cohen
Richard Cohen
Columnist, The Washington Post
Abigail Cooper
Abigail Cooper
Historian
Anderson Cooper
Anderson Cooper
Journalist
France Córdova
France Córdova
Astrophysicist
Dorothy Cotton
Dorothy Cotton
Activist
Katie Couric
Katie Couric
Journalist
Adger Cowans
Adger Cowans
Photographer
John Dean
John Dean
White House Counsel, 1970-1973
Ava DuVernay
Ava DuVernay
Filmmaker
Michael Eric Dyson
Michael Eric Dyson
Author & Professor
Marian Wright Edelman
Marian Wright Edelman
Activist
Joella Edwards
Joella Edwards
Classmate of Barack Obama
Justene Hill Edwards
Justene Hill Edwards
Historian
Patricia Eng
Patricia Eng
Founder of the New York Asian Women’s Center
Diane English
Diane English
Writer & Director
Nora Ephron
Nora Ephron
Journalist, Writer & Filmmaker
Jon Favreau
Jon Favreau
Speechwriter for President Obama
John Fer
John Fer
John McCain's Cellmate
Richard Fernandez
Richard Fernandez
Activist
Mary Lou Finley
Mary Lou Finley
Activist
Nicole Fleetwood
Nicole Fleetwood
Art Historian & Curator
Eric Foner
Eric Foner
Historian
Pat Foote
Pat Foote
U.S. Army General
Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
U.S. President, 1974-1977
LaToya Ruby Frazier
LaToya Ruby Frazier
Photographer
Diane von Furstenberg
Diane von Furstenberg
Fashion Designer
Frank Gamboa
Frank Gamboa
John McCain's Classmate
Bill Gates
Bill Gates
Microsoft Founder & Philanthropist
Melinda Gates
Melinda Gates
Philanthropist
Henry Louis Gates Jr.
Henry Louis Gates Jr.
Professor
Nelson George
Nelson George
Writer & Filmmaker
Carol Gilligan
Carol Gilligan
Psychologist
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
U.S. Supreme Court Justice (1993-2020)
Anand Giridharadas
Anand Giridharadas
Journalist & Author
Linda Gordon
Linda Gordon
Historian
Austan Goolsbee
Austan Goolsbee
Economist & Writer
Sandy Gottesman
Sandy Gottesman
Investor
Don Graham
Don Graham
Former Publisher, The Washington Post
Kerri Greenidge
Kerri Greenidge
Historian
Steven Hahn
Steven Hahn
Historian
Jim Hoagland
Jim Hoagland
Contributing Editor, The Washington Post
Tom Houck
Tom Houck
Activist
Sara Hurwitz
Sara Hurwitz
Rabba
Sherrilyn Ifill
Sherrilyn Ifill
Lawyer
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Author & Activist
Jesse Jackson
Jesse Jackson
Activist & Politician
Kellie Carter Jackson
Kellie Carter Jackson
Historian
Caroline Janney
Caroline Janney
Historian
Valerie Jarrett
Valerie Jarrett
Lawyer, Businesswoman, Politician
Broderick Johnson
Broderick Johnson
Chair, My Brother's Keeper
Clarence Jones
Clarence Jones
Civil Rights Attorney
Andrea Jung
Andrea Jung
CEO, Avon Products (1999-2012)
Robert Kaiser
Robert Kaiser
Managing Editor, The Washington Post (1991-1998)
Matthew Karp
Matthew Karp
Historian
Jerry Kellman
Jerry Kellman
Community Organizer
John Kerry
John Kerry
U.S. Politician
Keegan-Michael Key
Keegan-Michael Key
Comedian
Billie Jean King
Billie Jean King
Tennis Champion and Social Activist
Henry Kissinger
Henry Kissinger
Former U.S. Secretary of State
Karen Korematsu
Karen Korematsu
Fred Korematsu's Daughter
Lydia Villa-Komaroff
Lydia Villa-Komaroff
Molecular & Cellular Biologist
Bernard Lafayette
Bernard Lafayette
Activist & Organizer
Norman Lear
Norman Lear
Screenwriter and Producer
Spike Lee
Spike Lee
Filmmaker
Jim Lehrer
Jim Lehrer
Co-Founder, PBS NewsHour
Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis
Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis
Author & Activist
John Lewis
John Lewis
Politician & Civil Rights Activist
Joe Lieberman
Joe Lieberman
U.S. Politician
Maya Lin
Maya Lin
Designer
Carol Loomis
Carol Loomis
Journalist
Alvin Love
Alvin Love
Pastor
Reggie Love
Reggie Love
Personal Aide
Susan Love
Susan Love
Surgeon & Activist
Ken Mack
Ken Mack
Historian
Catharine MacKinnon
Catharine MacKinnon
Legal Scholar & Activist
Chandra Manning
Chandra Manning
Historian
Ian Manuel
Ian Manuel
Poet & Activist
David Maraniss
David Maraniss
Author & Journalist
Sam Massell
Sam Massell
Politician & Businessman
Kate Masur
Kate Masur
Historian
Edna Greene Medford
Edna Greene Medford
Historian
Andy McCain
Andy McCain
John McCain's Son
Carol McCain
Carol McCain
John McCain's First Wife
Cindy McCain
Cindy McCain
John McCain's Wife
Doug McCain
Doug McCain
John McCain's Son
Jack McCain
Jack McCain
John McCain's Son
Joe McCain
Joe McCain
John McCain's Brother
John McCain
John McCain
U.S. Politician (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018)
Sidney McCain
Sidney McCain
John McCain's Daughter
DeRay Mckesson
DeRay Mckesson
Activist
James McPherson
James McPherson
Historian
Jon Meacham
Jon Meacham
Historian & Author
Keith Meacham
Keith Meacham
Jon Meacham's Wife
Courtland Milloy
Courtland Milloy
Journalist
Dale Minami
Dale Minami
Civil Rights Attorney
Judd Miner
Judd Miner
Civil Rights Lawyer
Michele Mitchell
Michele Mitchell
Historian
Rita Moreno
Rita Moreno
Actor
Khalil Muhammad
Khalil Muhammad
Historian & Professor
Charles Munger
Charles Munger
Investor
Diane Nash
Diane Nash
Activist
Martin Nesbitt
Martin Nesbitt
American Businessman
Michele Norris
Michele Norris
Journalist
James Oakes
James Oakes
Historian
Barack Obama
Barack Obama
U.S. President, 2009-2017
Violet Palmer
Violet Palmer
American Basketball Official
Danica Patrick
Danica Patrick
American Race Car Driver
Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Pelosi
United States Representative
Anthony Peterson
Anthony Peterson
Classmate of Barack Obama
Lynn Povich
Lynn Povich
Journalist
Sally Quinn
Sally Quinn
Journalist & Author
Michal Raz-Russo
Michal Raz-Russo
Curator
Robert Redford
Robert Redford
Actor/Director
David Remnick
David Remnick
Journalist
David Reynolds
David Reynolds
Historian
Michelle Rhee
Michelle Rhee
American Educator
Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice
Former U.S. National Security Advisor
Amy Richards
Amy Richards
Writer & Activist
Cecile Richards
Cecile Richards
President, Planned Parenthood 2006-2018
Faith Ringgold
Faith Ringgold
Artist & Activist
Barbara "Dusty" Roads
Barbara "Dusty" Roads
Flight Attendant & Activist
Betty Rollin
Betty Rollin
Journalist & Author
Paul Roth
Paul Roth
Curator
Richard Roundtree
Richard Roundtree
Actor
Bobby Rush
Bobby Rush
Politician & Activist
Mark Salter
Mark Salter
John McCain's Senior Advisor
Sheryl Sandberg
Sheryl Sandberg
Technology Executive
Cleveland Sellers
Cleveland Sellers
Activist
Jamel Shabazz
Jamel Shabazz
Photographer
Reverend Al Sharpton
Reverend Al Sharpton
Civil Rights Activist
Beverly Guy-Sheftall
Beverly Guy-Sheftall
Writer & Activist
Shirley Sherrod
Shirley Sherrod
Activist
Muriel Siebert
Muriel Siebert
Businesswoman
Ruth Simmons
Ruth Simmons
Brown University President (2001-2012)
Manisha Sinha
Manisha Sinha
Historian
Barbara Smith
Barbara Smith
Activist
Mario Sprouse
Mario Sprouse
Musician & Composer
John Stauffer
John Stauffer
Historian
Gloria Steinem
Gloria Steinem
Writer & Activist
Bryan Stevenson
Bryan Stevenson
Founder, Equal Justice Initiative
Martha Stewart
Martha Stewart
Author & Businesswoman
C. Vivian Stringer
C. Vivian Stringer
Basketball Coach
Kathrine Switzer
Kathrine Switzer
Marathon Runner
George Takei
George Takei
Actor & Activist
Donald Tamaki
Donald Tamaki
Civil Rights Attorney
Lisa Tetrault
Lisa Tetrault
Historian
Evan Thomas
Evan Thomas
Journalist
Shirley Tilghman
Shirley Tilghman
Molecular Biologist
Barbara Feinman Todd
Barbara Feinman Todd
Professor Emerita, Georgetown University
V
V
Playwright
George Vaillant
George Vaillant
Psychiatrist and Professor, Harvard Medical School
C.T. Vivian
C.T. Vivian
Minister & Activist
Alice Walker
Alice Walker
Author
Darren Walker
Darren Walker
President, Ford Foundation
Barbara Walters
Barbara Walters
Broadcast Journalist
Laura Washington
Laura Washington
Journalist
Alice Waters
Alice Waters
Chef & Restaurateur
Cornel West
Cornel West
Philosopher & Activist
Edward Widmer
Edward Widmer
Historian
Sean Wilentz
Sean Wilentz
Historian
Bob Woodward
Bob Woodward
Associate Editor, The Washington Post
Jeremiah Wright
Jeremiah Wright
Pastor
Andrew Young
Andrew Young
U.S. Ambassador
Genevieve Young
Genevieve Young
Gordon Parks' Wife
Zariff
Zariff
President Obama's Barber
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