Meet
Michael
EricDyson
The Many Talents of Michael Eric Dyson
Michael Eric Dyson is a man of many talents. As a professor, he has taught at some of the most prestigious universities in the nation, including Princeton, Brown, and Georgetown. He is currently a Distinguished University Professor at Vanderbilt University, where he holds positions in both the College of Arts & Science and The Divinity School.
In addition to his academic pursuits, Dyson is also a gifted writer and media personality. He has authored over 25 books, including seven New York Times bestsellers, and has won numerous awards for his literary contributions, including the 2020 Langston Hughes Medal and two NAACP Image Awards.
Dyson’s work spans a wide range of topics, including civil rights, hip-hop, Black culture, and politics. He has written bestselling books on figures such as Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, 2Pac, Marvin Gaye, Bill Cosby, and Barack Obama. His most recent book, Long Time Coming: Reckoning with Race in America, has been described as a “searing cry for racial justice” and a “sweeping overview of racism in America.”
Accomplishments and Recognition
Michael Eric Dyson has received numerous accolades for his literary output, including the 2020 Langston Hughes Medal, which has previously been awarded to James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, and August Wilson. He has also won an American Book Award, a Southern Book Award, and two NAACP Image Awards.
Dyson has written seven New York Times bestsellers, including books on Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, 2Pac, Marvin Gaye, Bill Cosby, and Barack Obama. His book, The Black Presidency: Barack Obama and the Politics of Race in America, was described by the New York Times as “an interpretive miracle” and was a finalist for the 2016 Kirkus Prize.
Dyson’s New York Times bestseller Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon to White America was called by the New York Times “one of the most frank and searing discussions on race” and was a finalist for the 2018 Southern Book Prize. His book What Truth Sounds Like: RFK, James Baldwin and Our Unfinished Conversation on Race in America was named by the Washington Post as one of the “50 notable works of nonfiction in 2018.”
Accomplishments and Recognition
Michael Eric Dyson has received numerous accolades for his literary output, including the 2020 Langston Hughes Medal, which has previously been awarded to James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, and August Wilson. He has also won an American Book Award, a Southern Book Award, and two NAACP Image Awards.
Dyson has written seven New York Times bestsellers, including books on Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, 2Pac, Marvin Gaye, Bill Cosby, and Barack Obama. His book, The Black Presidency: Barack Obama and the Politics of Race in America, was described by the New York Times as “an interpretive miracle” and was a finalist for the 2016 Kirkus Prize.
Dyson’s New York Times bestseller Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon to White America was called by the New York Times “one of the most frank and searing discussions on race” and was a finalist for the 2018 Southern Book Prize. His book What Truth Sounds Like: RFK, James Baldwin and Our Unfinished Conversation on Race in America was named by the Washington Post as one of the “50 notable works of nonfiction in 2018.”
Recent Books
Dyson continues to write and publish books, tackling topics such as civil rights, hip-hop, Black culture, and politics. His latest works include JAY-Z: Made in America (2019), Long Time Coming: Reckoning with Race in America (2020), Entertaining Race: Performing Blackness in America (2021), and Unequal: A Story of America (2022).
His books have been described as “fleshed-out portraits” with “the affection of a fan but the rigor of an academic,” “searing cries for racial justice,” “sweeping overviews of racism in America,” and “thoughtful, elegantly argued contributions to the literature of Black lives in America.” Dyson has been recognized for his writing with awards such as the 2020 Langston Hughes Medal and two NAACP Image Awards.
Preaching and Pastoring
Dyson has been a preacher and pastor for the past 40 years, ordained at Detroit’s Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church.
He has given sermons at many notable churches across the country, including the Riverside Church in Manhattan, Concord Baptist Church in Brooklyn, Friendship West Baptist Church in Dallas, St. Paul Baptist Church in Richmond, First Corinthian Baptist Church in Harlem, Christ Missionary Baptist Church in Memphis, Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, and his current home church, the Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia.
In addition to preaching at traditional churches, Dyson continues to give lectures at universities and public theaters around the world.
Media and TV Appearances
Dyson has worked as a journalist and media commentator for the past 30 years, appearing on many radio and television shows such as NPR’s Morning Edition, The Takeaway, and Fresh Air with Terry Gross, as well as Meet the Press, Face the Nation, Today Show, Good Morning America, and Real Time with Bill Maher.
Dyson has written columns for the Chicago Sun-Times and contributed opinion pieces to the New York Times and has worked as a political analyst for MSNBC. In addition to his media appearances,
Dyson has also made guest appearances on scripted cable and network television programs such as Soul Food, The Game, and Black-ish. He has also appeared on CNN and Fox News to provide analysis on politics and culture.
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About
Michael Eric Dyson is a renowned professor, author and media personality. He has taught at prestigious universities like Princeton, Brown, Georgetown, and is now a Distinguished Professor at Vanderbilt. With over 25 books, including 7 NY Times best sellers, he has won awards such as the Langston Hughes Medal, American Book Award and 2 NAACP Image Awards. Prof. Dyson is also a prominent public intellectual, known for his insightful commentary on race, social justice, and culture.