Cheryl McKissack Daniel Featured on C-SPAN’s Book TV at the Southern Festival of Books
On October 18, 2025, Cheryl McKissack Daniel joined C-SPAN’s Book TV at the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville to share the extraordinary story behind her debut memoir, The Black Family Who Built America: The McKissacks, Two Centuries of Daring Pioneers.
During the discussion, Cheryl took the audience on a journey through her family’s powerful legacy — beginning with her great-great-great-grandfather, Moses McKissack, who was brought to America enslaved in 1790 and taught himself the craft of masonry. What began as a survival skill became the cornerstone of a multi-generational legacy in design, construction, and leadership.
That legacy continues today through McKissack & McKissack, the firm founded by Moses’s grandsons, Moses III and Calvin McKissack, in 1905 — just 40 years after emancipation. Under Cheryl’s leadership as President and CEO, the company has grown into one of the nation’s leading design and construction management firms, overseeing over $50 billion in projects including New York’s JFK Airport Terminal One, the Oculus at Ground Zero, and the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Cheryl’s conversation at the Southern Festival of Books highlighted more than just her family’s achievements. It celebrated the enduring themes of resilience, representation, and legacy — values that have guided the McKissack family for over 120 years.
As Cheryl told the audience, her book isn’t just about architecture — it’s about building something that lasts. “When I walk into a room, I know I’m not just representing myself,” she said. “I’m representing generations of people who weren’t allowed in that room.”
The event, hosted by Book TV on C-SPAN, gave viewers across the country a glimpse into a story that transcends brick and mortar — one that embodies the true meaning of generational strength and vision.
🎥 Watch the full segment here:
C-SPAN Book TV | The Black Family Who Built America
