Perry is renowned for her work that explores the intersections of history, race, law and culture. Born in Birmingham, Alabama, in the aftermath of the horrific 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, Perry’s life and work have been deeply imbued with a commitment to justice and progressive change. 

Perry’s academic and literary contributions, including her National Book Award-winning work “South to America: A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation,” explores how the South shapes American history and culture. Her numerous accolades, including awards for her exploration of the life of underrecognized Black artist Lorraine Hansberry, firmly position her as a significant figure in contemporary literature and academia.

ETSU’s Equity and Inclusion Conference features keynote speakers and presenters from across the country, focusing on topics such as Appalachian identity, culture, race, ethnicity and accessibility. This year’s conference theme is “Beyond ‘Checking a Box’: Building and Sustaining Campus-Wide Engagement for Belonging,” underscoring the institution’s commitment to fostering an inclusive environment for all people. 

Perry, known for her insightful works like “Breathe: A Letter to My Sons” and “Looking for Lorraine: The Radiant and Radical Life of Lorraine Hansberry,” was selected to inspire and provoke thoughtful discussion in line with this theme.

“If there were one impact I’d like my work to have, it would be that people would cease talking about African American history and culture in terms of deprivation or inadequacy and actually acknowledge its depth and complexity and beauty,” Perry said.

Registration for the conference is open; visit etsu.edu/equity/conference for details and a complete schedule. Tickets to the full conference are $75, while tickets for Dr. Perry’s keynote alone are $20. For disability accommodations, contact the ETSU Office of Disability Services at (423) 439-8346.