SPREADING BLACK EXCELLENCE
A Conversation on Legacy, Leadership & The Black Family Who Built America
Recently, I had the honor of joining Professor Peter Dwayne Robinson of Cornell University for a powerful conversation about my new book, The Black Family Who Built America: The McKissacks, Two Centuries of Daring Pioneers.
It was more than a book discussion. It was a dialogue about legacy, resilience, strategy, and what it truly means to build — not just structures, but opportunity.
“The Black Family Who Built America”
The title has sparked curiosity. Some have asked whether it is bold. Others have called it audacious.
But history supports it.
The McKissack story begins with my ancestor, Moses McKissack, a West African man enslaved in America who learned the trade of brickmaking. After gaining his freedom, he used that skill to build a livelihood. His son, Moses II, became a master carpenter — skilled enough to construct spiral staircases at a time when Black men were denied education, land ownership, and wealth.
Our ancestors helped build the White House. They rebuilt it after the War of 1812. They contributed to the construction of the United States Capitol.
They could not vote.
They could not seal legal documents.
They could not attend college.
But they built.
And they built with excellence.
That is not hyperbole. That is history.
From Enslavement to Enterprise
For nearly 200 years, the McKissack name has stood in the building trades — evolving from brickmakers and carpenters to architects, engineers, and construction managers responsible for some of the most significant projects in America.
Today, McKissack & McKissack has contributed to projects such as:
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Columbia University’s Manhattanville campus
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Brooklyn’s Barclays Center
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The modernization of Harlem Hospital
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Major infrastructure management projects for New York’s MTA
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Public school initiatives in Philadelphia
In an industry where fewer than 5% of architects in the United States are Black, our firm has grown to become one of the most successful Black-owned construction and program management companies in the nation.
But the journey has never been easy.
Lessons from My Mother
I am the fifth generation to lead this firm. My mother, Leatrice Buchanan McKissack, led before me — stepping into the role after my father’s passing and navigating a male-dominated industry that often underestimated her.
She taught me one of the most important leadership lessons of my life at Tuskegee University.
When our firm mistakenly specified windows that did not open in a hot climate, she immediately took responsibility and committed to correcting it — even though it meant sacrificing profit.
I was stunned.
But what she understood — and what I later learned — is that integrity builds more than margins ever will.
While walking the campus, she noticed an aging structure slated for demolition. Where others saw a liability, she saw possibility. She proposed transforming it into the university president’s home. Within a week, she received the commission.
Excellence is not perfection.
Excellence is accountability, vision, and the courage to stand by your word.
Strategy Matters
During our discussion, Professor Robinson asked what has been essential to our family’s sustained success across generations.
The answer is simple — though not easy:
You must work your agenda.
And you must know who is working your agenda, too.
My father used to say, “I’m not a Republican or a Democrat — I’m an Afrocrat.”
It was his way of saying that strategy matters. Relationships matter. Alignment matters. We have always understood that to build in America, we must navigate power structures intelligently and position ourselves where decisions are made.
Legacy requires both vision and strategy.
Why This Story Must Be Told
At the time of the Civil War, the monetary value of enslaved people exceeded the combined value of every factory, bank, railroad, and steamship line in the nation.
Black labor built America’s wealth.
My family’s story is one chapter in that larger truth.
This book is not just about buildings. It is about dignity. Ingenuity. Perseverance. Ownership. It is about a people who were denied opportunity yet created it anyway.
If there is one lesson I hope readers take away, it is this:
Whatever we do — it must be excellent.
Our ancestors had no inherited wealth, no formal education, no institutional support. What they had were their hands, their minds, their faith, and their determination.
And they built a nation.
Continuing the Work
Every conversation I have about this book is an opportunity to expand the narrative of Black excellence — not as an exception, but as a foundation.
The work continues.
The building continues.
The excellence continues.
—
Cheryl McKissack Daniel
Author, The Black Family Who Built America
President & CEO, McKissack & McKissack
