Search

Pulitzer Prize Winner and Author Isabel Wilkerson to Keynote DIVERSIFY Luncheon


(April 26, 2017) – Isabel Wilkerson, author of The New York Times bestseller “The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration,” will give the keynote speech for the DIVERSIFY luncheon June 23, presented by EPB and the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce.

“The Warmth of Other Suns,” the basis of Wilkerson’s DIVERSIFY presentation, explores the impact of decades of migration in which African-American citizens left the South for Northern and Western cities, reshaping American culture and politics and launching the racial challenges our country faces today.

Wilkerson spent 15 years interviewing more than 1,200 people and unearthing archival works to complete “The Warmth of Other Suns.” The book has garnered numerous accolades including a spot on The New York Times Magazine list of the All-Time Best Books of Nonfiction and the NAACP Image Award for Best Literary Debut.

Wilkerson received a Pulitzer Prize for her work as Chicago Bureau Chief of The New York Times in 1994. She is the first African-American female journalist to win a Pulitzer Prize and the first African-American to be honored for individual reporting. She has appeared on “60 Minutes,” NBC’s Nightly News, C-SPAN and more, and has taught narrative nonfiction at Princeton University, Emory University and Boston University.

A book-signing session with Wilkerson will follow the DIVERSIFY luncheon. For more about her work, visit prhspeakers.com.  

From shopping to business networking to local music and food, the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce DIVERSIFY week June 19 – 23 offers themed daily pop-up markets and concludes with the Chamber’s annual DIVERSIFY Luncheon.

Learn more about DIVERSIFY week here.

Other Topics

Diversify 2025 explored strategies for advancing diversity in business, with Juanita McDowell’s S.T.I.C.K.Y.™ program inspiring smarter goal setting and sustainable success.

On Wednesday, June 4, the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce welcomed a full house of approximately 150 community members to the Finley Stadium Ultra Club for its annual Legislative Wrap Up. The event featured a panel discussion with three members…

The Chamber’s Protégé and Leadership programs get leaders thinking about the city’s future—and how they can be part of its growth. Attracting and retaining top talent requires more than offering competitive salaries, benefits, and fun perks. It means creating opportunities…

At Tiny Tigers Learning Center, LaShon Carter makes sure everyone gets an education. LaShon Carter has always been an educator at heart. But she never imagined it would take the shape of childcare. Carter grew up around daycare, watching her…

Over the last 12 months, Shappi - a three-year-old startup - has delivered more than $5 million in products to more than 300 locations and thousands of customers in South America. Described as the logistics-travel equivalent of Uber or Airbnb,…

A Brickyard engineer’s journey from Sudan to the Scenic City Brickyard, Chattanooga’s booming venture capital firm on the Southside, is a beehive of activity. But if you were to visit it on any given day, one of the things you…

Sign up for weekly updates.