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Interviewees

Genevieve Ahearne
Genevieve Ahearne
Friend of Barack Obama
Clifford Alexander
Clifford Alexander
Former U.S. Secretary of the Army
Elizabeth Alexander
Elizabeth Alexander
Poet
Devin Allen
Devin Allen
Photographer
Loretta Augustine-Herron
Loretta Augustine-Herron
Community Organizer
Edward Ayers
Edward Ayers
Historian
Leslie Parks-Bailey
Leslie Parks-Bailey
Gordon Parks' Daughter
Harry Belafonte
Harry Belafonte
Actor & Activist
Maurice Berger
Maurice Berger
Cultural Historian
Mary Frances Berry
Mary Frances Berry
Historian
Reginald Dwayne Betts
Reginald Dwayne Betts
Poet & Prison Reform Advocate
Joe Biden
Joe Biden
U.S. President
Joanne Bland
Joanne Bland
Activist
Sidney Blumenthal
Sidney Blumenthal
Journalist
Phil Boerner
Phil Boerner
Classmate of Barack Obama
Christopher Bonner
Christopher Bonner
Historian
Carol Moseley Braun
Carol Moseley Braun
U.S Senator
Philip Brookman
Philip Brookman
Curator
Lonnie Bunch
Lonnie Bunch
Secretary, Smithsonian Institution
Michael Burlingame
Michael Burlingame
Historian
Ursula Burns
Ursula Burns
Businesswoman
Charlamagne tha God
Charlamagne tha God
Radio Host
Xernona Clayton
Xernona Clayton
Activist
Ta-Nehisi Coates
Ta-Nehisi Coates
Author & Journalist
Jelani Cobb
Jelani Cobb
Historian & Author
Abigail Cooper
Abigail Cooper
Historian
Dorothy Cotton
Dorothy Cotton
Activist
Adger Cowans
Adger Cowans
Photographer
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
Richard Fernandez
Richard Fernandez
Activist
Mary Lou Finley
Mary Lou Finley
Activist
Nicole Fleetwood
Nicole Fleetwood
Art Historian & Curator
Eric Foner
Eric Foner
Historian
LaToya Ruby Frazier
LaToya Ruby Frazier
Photographer
Henry Louis Gates Jr.
Henry Louis Gates Jr.
Professor
Nelson George
Nelson George
Writer & Filmmaker
Kerri Greenidge
Kerri Greenidge
Historian
Steven Hahn
Steven Hahn
Historian
Aileen Hernandez
Aileen Hernandez
Union Organizer & Activist
Tom Houck
Tom Houck
Activist
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
Matthew Karp
Matthew Karp
Historian
Bernard Lafayette
Bernard Lafayette
Activist & Organizer
Spike Lee
Spike Lee
Filmmaker
Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis
Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis
Author & Activist
John Lewis
John Lewis
Politician & Civil Rights Activist
Alvin Love
Alvin Love
Pastor
Reggie Love
Reggie Love
Personal Aide
Ken Mack
Ken Mack
Historian
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
DeRay Mckesson
DeRay Mckesson
Activist
James McPherson
James McPherson
Historian
Courtland Milloy
Courtland Milloy
Journalist
Michele Mitchell
Michele Mitchell
Historian
Khalil Muhammad
Khalil Muhammad
Historian & Professor
Diane Nash
Diane Nash
Activist
Nichelle Nichols
Nichelle Nichols
Actor
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
Anthony Peterson
Anthony Peterson
Classmate of Barack Obama
Michal Raz-Russo
Michal Raz-Russo
Curator
David Reynolds
David Reynolds
Historian
Jason Reynolds
Jason Reynolds
Author
Faith Ringgold
Faith Ringgold
Artist & Activist
Paul Roth
Paul Roth
Curator
Richard Roundtree
Richard Roundtree
Actor
Bobby Rush
Bobby Rush
Politician & Activist
Cleveland Sellers
Cleveland Sellers
Activist
Jamel Shabazz
Jamel Shabazz
Photographer
Shirley Sherrod
Shirley Sherrod
Activist
Manisha Sinha
Manisha Sinha
Historian
Mario Sprouse
Mario Sprouse
Musician & Composer
John Stauffer
John Stauffer
Historian
Bryan Stevenson
Bryan Stevenson
Founder, Equal Justice Initiative
C.T. Vivian
C.T. Vivian
Minister & Activist
Alice Walker
Alice Walker
Author
Darren Walker
Darren Walker
President, Ford Foundation
Laura Washington
Laura Washington
Journalist
Cornel West
Cornel West
Philosopher & Activist
Edward Widmer
Edward Widmer
Historian
Sean Wilentz
Sean Wilentz
Historian
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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