Listervelt Middleton Lecture Series featuring Michael Harriot

Tue Feb 17 2026 at 07:00 pm to 09:00 pm UTC-05:00

Benedict College | Columbia

Kemetic Institute for Health and Human Development (KIHHD)
Publisher/HostKemetic Institute for Health and Human Development (KIHHD)
Listervelt Middleton Lecture Series featuring Michael Harriot
Advertisement
Award-winning journalist, NY Times Bestselling author, Emmy-nominated TV writer, founder of ContrabandCamp.com, & SC native Michael Harriot
About this Event

Join award-winning journalist, New York Times Bestselling author, Emmy-nominated TV writer, founder of ContrabandCamp.com, and South Carolina native Michael Harriot as he will discuss current events analyzed from a historical perspective. His book, Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America will be available for sale.

About Michael Harriot
When CNN wanted to trace the origins of the word woke, they called Michael Harriot. When MSNBC needed someone to unpack critical race theory, they called Michael Harriot. And when the culture needed a name that captured the collective voice of Black Twitter, Michael Harriot was the runaway answer.

Michael Harriot is an award-winning journalist, bestselling author, celebrated poet, and public historian hailed as “one of the most eloquent writers in America.” Since its 2023 release, his New York Times bestseller, Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America, has been the top-selling Black history book in the country since it's. He is the 2024–2025 recipient of Harvard University’s Nyhan Prize for Public Policy Journalism and the founder of the Black journalism collective ContrabandCamp.com.

Known for his acerbic wit and unflinching reporting, has served as a columnist for The Guardian, The Grio, and The Root, shaping everything from presidential politics to pop culture. As the originator of the phrase “invited to the cookout,” his viral social media threads contextualizing Black history have reached millions, earning him the unofficial crown as “The King of Black Twitter.” He co-created the award-winning podcast Drapetomaniax: Unshackled History alongside Pharrell Williams, and his journalism has appeared in The Washington Post, The Atlantic, The New York Times—and, as he likes to note, his mother’s refrigerator. His work has been recognized by the National Association of Black Journalists, the Emmy Awards, the Webby Awards, and the American Library Association.

Harriot holds degrees in mass communications and history from Auburn University and a master’s in macroeconomics and international business from Florida State. Today, he serves as founder and lead columnist at ContrabandCamp and is one of the nation’s most sought-after speakers on the intersections of race, history, politics, and media. He is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated.


Event Photos
Advertisement

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Benedict College, 1600 Harden Street, Columbia, United States

Tickets

USD 0.00

Icon
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

Ask AI if this event suits you:

More Events in Columbia

Carolina Day 2026
Tue, 17 Feb at 09:00 am Carolina Day 2026

Pastides Alumni Center

Art History 101: American Art in the Collection
Tue, 17 Feb at 11:00 am Art History 101: American Art in the Collection

Columbia Museum of Art

Yoga in the Galleries
Tue, 17 Feb at 05:30 pm Yoga in the Galleries

Columbia Museum of Art

Gladys\u2019 Gang Preschool Edition: Wintry Whites
Wed, 18 Feb at 10:00 am Gladys’ Gang Preschool Edition: Wintry Whites

Columbia Museum of Art

ThriveRichland Play Groups
Wed, 18 Feb at 03:00 pm ThriveRichland Play Groups

Westminster Presbyterian Church

Back To BASICS II Advanced Beginner Group Lessons (6 week series)
Wed, 18 Feb at 06:30 pm Back To BASICS II Advanced Beginner Group Lessons (6 week series)

2300 Greene Street, Columbia, SC, United States, South Carolina 29205

INZO Tickets
Wed, 18 Feb at 08:00 pm INZO Tickets

Columbia, SC

INZO at The Senate
Wed, 18 Feb at 08:00 pm INZO at The Senate

The Senate

Columbia is Happening!

Never miss your favorite happenings again!

Explore Columbia Events