Essence Spotlights Cheryl McKissack Daniel: Building Legacy, One Generation at a Time
When Cheryl McKissack Daniel walks into a boardroom and realizes she’s the only Black woman there—a scene that still happens too often in 2025—she doesn’t feel isolated. She feels grounded. Because she knows she’s standing on the foundation her family began laying more than two centuries ago.
In her recent Essence feature, Cheryl shared the extraordinary story behind her debut book, The Black Family Who Built America: The McKissacks, Two Centuries of Daring Pioneers. It’s a story that begins with her great-great-great-grandfather, Moses McKissack, who was stolen from West Africa in 1790 and brought to America enslaved. Forced into masonry work, Moses turned necessity into mastery—teaching his children a trade that would one day build their family’s freedom.
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From Brick and Mortar to Boardrooms
Fast forward to today, and Cheryl now leads McKissack & McKissack, the nation’s oldest Black-owned design and construction firm. Under her leadership, the firm has managed more than $50 billion in projects—including the Barclays Center, the Oculus at Ground Zero, Lincoln Financial Field, and New York’s new JFK Terminal One.
“I know that every time I walk into a room, I’m not just representing myself—I’m representing generations of people who weren’t allowed in that room,” Cheryl told Essence. “That awareness keeps me grounded and focused.”
A Legacy Built Through Resilience
Cheryl’s story—and that of her family—isn’t just about architecture. It’s about endurance. The McKissack brothers, Moses III and Calvin, founded their firm in 1905 in Tennessee, just 40 years after emancipation, during a time when Black entrepreneurs faced systemic exclusion. They built churches and HBCUs when white clients wouldn’t hire them—and turned rejection into resilience.
When Cheryl’s mother, Leatrice B. McKissack, took over the firm in the 1980s after her husband’s stroke, she led with “grit and grace,” even when women couldn’t get a business loan without a man’s signature. That same determination guides Cheryl today as she continues to push boundaries in an industry that still lacks diversity at the top.
Redefining Generational Wealth
Through The Black Family Who Built America, Cheryl challenges traditional definitions of wealth. “Generational wealth isn’t just about money—it’s about ownership, knowledge, and values that endure,” she explains. Her daughters are already involved in the business, carrying forward not only the McKissack name but also its purpose.
She reminds readers that anyone can begin building a legacy, no matter where they start. “You don’t need to have everything figured out to begin building something meaningful. Start where you are. Document your story. Protect your assets. Teach your kids about ownership.”
The Blueprint for Longevity
After 120 years in business, McKissack & McKissack continues to evolve—from hand-drawn blueprints to AI-driven construction management—while staying true to its founding principles: integrity, quality, and representation.
“I hope readers walk away knowing that legacy isn’t reserved for the elite,” Cheryl says. “Every family has a story worth preserving. Every dream, no matter how small it seems, can be the foundation for something generational.”
From an enslaved craftsman’s vision to a fifth-generation CEO shaping skylines across America, the McKissack story is proof that excellence, when fueled by endurance, becomes legacy.
