“Light is only possible through dialogue” A conversation with James McBride

Author James McBride joins Trinity Talks to discuss themes explored in his New York Times bestselling novel, The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store. Set in a Depression-era Pennsylvania town, the book tells the stories of Black and immigrant Jewish residents who rally across lines of race and class to protect a deaf Black child from institutionalization. The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store was named best book of the year (2023) by NPR, The Washington Post, The New Yorker, TIME Magazine, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

McBride will join Trinity’s rector, the Rev. Phillip A. Jackson, to reflect on how love and community sustain us in even the darkest times.

James McBride is a National Book Award winner, New York Times bestselling author, musician, and screenwriter. His 1995 memoir, The Color of Water, explored his search for identity as the son of a white, Jewish woman and a Black man. McBride’s books have been adapted for film and television. In 2016, President Barack Obama awarded McBride a National Humanities Medal “for humanizing the complexities of discussing race in America.” Born in New York City and educated in its public schools, McBride studied composition at The Oberlin Conservatory of Music and received a master’s in journalism from Columbia University. He has toured as a saxophonist sideman with jazz legend Jimmy Scott, among others. McBride is currently a distinguished writer in residence at New York University.

Doors open at 12:30pm. The program begins at 1pm and lasts for an hour. At 2:10pm, in-person attendees will have the opportunity to participate in small group discussions. McBride’s book will be available for purchase.

Please note: Registration for this free event is highly recommended since seating is limited and ticket holders will be prioritized (although not guaranteed entry if the venue reaches capacity).

Host or Publisher Trinity Church Wall Street