CLINT SMITH: HOW THE WORD IS PASSED

Schedule

Thu, 02 Oct, 2025 at 06:00 pm

UTC-05:00

Location

387 Perkins Ext, Memphis, TN, United States, Tennessee 38117 | Memphis, TN

Advertisement
Join us as we welcome CLINT SMITH on THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2 at 6:00 PM to celebrate the release of the young reader adaptation of his book HOW THE WORD IS PASSED: REMEMBRERING SLAVERY AND HOW IT SHAPED AMERICA.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Adapted from Clint Smith's #1 New York Times bestselling and universally acclaimed How the Word Is Passed, this must-read narrative takes readers to historical sites across America, exploring the legacy of slavery to help readers make sense of our nation's past and present, and be better stewards of their own future.
Beginning in his own hometown of New Orleans, Clint Smith leads young readers through an unforgettable tour of monuments and landmarks--those that are honest about the past and those that are not--offering an intergenerational story of how slavery has been central in shaping our nation's collective history, and ourselves.
How the Word Is Passed illustrates how some of our country's most essential stories are hidden in plain view--whether in places we might drive by on our way to school, holidays such as Juneteenth, or entire neighborhoods (like downtown Manhattan) on which the brutal history of the trade in enslaved people has been deeply imprinted.
Informed by scholarship and brought alive by the story of people living today, this adaptation of Clint Smith's #1 bestselling, award-winning work of nonfiction offers kids a new understanding of the hopeful role that memory and history can play in making sense of our country, and shows how they can reckon with the past and present to become better stewards of their future.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Clint Smith is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning With the History of Slavery Across America, which won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction and was named one of the New York Times 10 Best Books of 2021. He is also the author of the New York Times bestselling poetry collection Above Ground and the award-winning poetry collection Counting Descent. He is a staff writer at The Atlantic.
Dr. Sonja Cherry-Paul is the founder of Red Clay Educators, co-director of the Institute for Racial Equity in Literacy, co-director of the Teach Black History All Year Institute, and executive producer and host of The Black Creators Series. She is a former middle school English teacher and has written several books for educators to support reading and writing instruction including Antiracist Reading Revolution: A Framework for Teaching Beyond Representation Toward Liberation. Sonja leads professional development for schools and organizations in equity and antiracism. She invites you to visit her online at sonjacherrypaul.com.
Advertisement

Where is it happening?

387 Perkins Ext, Memphis, TN, United States, Tennessee 38117

Event Location & Nearby Stays:

Novel Memphis

Host or Publisher Novel Memphis

It's more fun with friends. Share with friends

Discover More Events in Memphis

FEA \/ Los Psychosis \/ Lips Speak Louder [Small Room-Downstairs]
Wed, 01 Oct at 08:00 pm FEA / Los Psychosis / Lips Speak Louder [Small Room-Downstairs]

282-284 North Cleveland Street Memphis, TN 38104

MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
The Lowdown Drifters in Memphis
Wed, 01 Oct at 08:00 pm The Lowdown Drifters in Memphis

Hernando's Hide-A-Way

ENTERTAINMENT CONCERTS
Overton Square Movie Night: Lineup Coming Soon
Thu, 02 Oct at 07:00 pm Overton Square Movie Night: Lineup Coming Soon

Trimble Pl, Memphis, TN 38104, United States

ENTERTAINMENT TRIPS-ADVENTURES
Noah Thompson
Thu, 02 Oct at 08:00 pm Noah Thompson

535 S Highland St, Memphis, TN, United States, Tennessee 38111

ART LIVE-MUSIC
Noah Thompson with special guest Rowdy Franks
Thu, 02 Oct Noah Thompson with special guest Rowdy Franks

Rooster's Blues House

MUSIC
Mempho Fest
Fri, 03 Oct Mempho Fest

Radians Amphitheater

MUSIC
Mempho Music Festival (3 Day Pass) with Widespread Panic, Tyler Childers and more
Fri, 03 Oct at 08:30 am Mempho Music Festival (3 Day Pass) with Widespread Panic, Tyler Childers and more

Radians Amphitheater at Memphis Botanic Garden

MUSIC-FESTIVALS FESTIVALS
2025 MEMPHO Fest - 3 Day Pass at Radians Amphitheater
Fri, 03 Oct at 11:59 am 2025 MEMPHO Fest - 3 Day Pass at Radians Amphitheater

Radians Amphitheater

FESTIVALS TRIPS-ADVENTURES
Book Signing with Ernest Kelly
Thu, 04 Sep at 05:00 pm Book Signing with Ernest Kelly

936 S Cooper St, Memphis, TN, United States, Tennessee 38104

ART LITERARY-ART
STACY WILLINGHAM: FORGET ME NOT
Fri, 05 Sep at 06:00 pm STACY WILLINGHAM: FORGET ME NOT

387 Perkins Ext, Memphis, TN, United States, Tennessee 38117

ART LITERARY-ART
Silent Book Club @ Sugar Ghost
Sat, 06 Sep at 04:00 pm Silent Book Club @ Sugar Ghost

Sugar Ghost Ice Cream & Bubble Tea 2615 Broad Ave. Memphis, TN 38112

PARTIES MEETUPS
Randolph Readers Book Club
Mon, 08 Sep at 01:00 pm Randolph Readers Book Club

Memphis Public Libraries - Randolph Branch (Randolph)

PHILLIP ASHLEY RIX W\/ GINA NEELY: FOR THE LOVE OF CHOCOLATE
Tue, 09 Sep at 06:00 pm PHILLIP ASHLEY RIX W/ GINA NEELY: FOR THE LOVE OF CHOCOLATE

387 Perkins Ext, Memphis, TN, United States, Tennessee 38117

ART NONPROFIT
SPARKY REARDON WITH KELLY ENGLISH: THE DEAN
Wed, 10 Sep at 06:00 pm SPARKY REARDON WITH KELLY ENGLISH: THE DEAN

387 Perkins Ext, Memphis, TN, United States, Tennessee 38117

ART LITERARY-ART
VIKTORIA CAPEK: DEAR READER
Fri, 12 Sep at 06:00 pm VIKTORIA CAPEK: DEAR READER

387 Perkins Ext, Memphis, TN, United States, Tennessee 38117

ART LITERARY-ART
Silent Book Club with the Besties
Sun, 14 Sep at 02:00 pm Silent Book Club with the Besties

387 Perkins Ext, Memphis, TN, United States, Tennessee 38117

MEETUPS
A Novel Book Club: YOU'D LOOK BETTER AS A GHOST
Wed, 17 Sep at 07:00 pm A Novel Book Club: YOU'D LOOK BETTER AS A GHOST

387 Perkins Ext, Memphis, TN, United States, Tennessee 38117

ART LITERARY-ART
In Conversation With Martha Kelly
Fri, 19 Sep at 12:00 pm In Conversation With Martha Kelly

Elmwood Cemetery

ART LITERARY-ART
Cuppa and A Chat Book Club
Sat, 20 Sep at 11:00 am Cuppa and A Chat Book Club

4120 Millbranch Rd, Memphis, TN 38116-5753, United States

Read with a Pup! (Children's reading therapy program)
Sat, 20 Sep at 12:00 pm Read with a Pup! (Children's reading therapy program)

Memphis Public Libraries - Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library (Benjamin L. Hooks Central)

What's Happening Next in Memphis?

Discover Memphis Events