In an insightful McKinsey Author Talks interview, Emily Adeyanju engages Cheryl McKissack Daniel—President & CEO of McKissack & McKissack—on her newly released book, The Black Family Who Built America: The McKissacks, Two Centuries of Daring Pioneers (Atria/Simon & Schuster, August 2025) feeder.co+15McKinsey & Company+15McKinsey & Company+15.

This powerful conversation journeys through five generations of McKissacks, tracing their roots back to Cheryl’s great-great-grandfather, an enslaved man brought to America in 1790, all the way to today, where Cheryl leads America’s oldest woman- and minority-owned design and construction firm McKinsey & Company+1.

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Framing the Book’s Title: Visibility, Legacy, and Recognition

Cheryl reflects on how the title of her book emerged from the desire to shine a light on oft-overlooked contributions in architecture and construction. She draws a parallel to Hidden Figures, emphasizing the McKissacks’ behind-the-scenes role in shaping the built environment. The intention was to spark awareness that Black builders played a central role in constructing structures we see and inhabit—many of which hold deep historical and cultural significance McKinsey & Company+2McKinsey & Company+2.

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Insights to Inspire: Themes from the Interview

Some overarching themes Cheryl explored in this conversation include:

• Uncovering Untold Histories
  She invites readers to reconsider familiar landscapes by recognizing contributions from Black builders historically erased from mainstream narratives.

• Perseverance Through Generations
  The McKissack family’s story exemplifies resilience—from survival and skill cultivated under oppression to thriving as a pioneering firm over 200 years.

• Equity in the Built Environment
  Cheryl reaffirms the importance of representation and ownership—structuring not just physical spaces, but also economic and cultural legacies.

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Why This Matters for Today

This McKinsey interview not only introduces Cheryl’s book but also reinforces her leadership and advocacy for diversity in architecture, engineering, and construction. It aligns beautifully with her broader commitment to mentorship, purpose-driven business, and honoring her family’s monumental story.

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Looking Forward

Cheryl’s conversation in McKinsey’s Author Talks invites us to reframe how we understand history—through the buildings that surround us and the stories behind their creation. If you’re eager to explore Cheryl’s full narrative and learn from a lineage built on resilience, check out the Book page and stay updated on her upcoming engagements via the Events page.