Imani Perry facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Imani Perry
Perry in 2022
Born	(1972-09-05) September 5, 1972 (age 53) Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
Academic background
Education	Yale University (BA) Harvard University (JD, PhD) Georgetown University (LLM)
Academic work
Institutions	Rutgers University Princeton University Harvard University
Main interests	Race, law, African American culture, Citizenship, American Politics, Intellectual Traditions, Neoliberalism, Culture and Life, Feminist Thought, Religious Thought

Imani Perry, born on September 5, 1972, is a brilliant American scholar. She studies many interesting topics. These include race, law, books, and African American culture. She is now a professor at Harvard University. She teaches about women's studies and African American studies. She also writes articles for The Atlantic magazine.

In 2022, Perry won a big award. She received the National Book Award for Nonfiction for her book, South to America: A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation. In October 2023, she was also named a MacArthur Fellow. This is a special award for very talented people.

Early Life and Family

Imani Perry was born in Birmingham, Alabama. When she was five years old, her family moved. They went to Cambridge, Massachusetts. Her parents were social activists. This means they worked to make society better.

Her mother, Theresa Perry, is a professor. She teaches about Africana Studies and Education. Her stepfather, Steve Whitman, was a scientist. He studied how health care is different for various groups of people. Imani Perry grew up as a Catholic.

Education and Career Journey

Imani Perry went to public school in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She then attended Concord Academy for high school. She graduated from high school in 1990.

College and Advanced Degrees

Perry went to Yale University for her first college degree. She studied American Studies and Literature. She graduated in 1994. After that, she earned two more advanced degrees from Harvard University. She received her Ph.D. in American Civilization. She also earned her law degree (J.D.) from Harvard Law School in 2000. She was 27 years old at that time. She also got another law degree (LLM) from Georgetown University Law Center. She says that growing up around different cultures made her want to study race.

Teaching at Universities

Before joining Princeton University, Perry taught at Rutgers Law School for seven years. She was a very good teacher. She won the New Professor of the Year award in her first year. She became a full professor after five years. She also taught as a visiting professor at other universities. These included the University of Pennsylvania Law School and Columbia University.

In 2009, Perry started teaching at Princeton University. She was a professor of African American Studies. She also worked with programs about law and gender studies. In August 2014, she appeared on a radio show called On Being. She talked about race and community in America.

In 2023, Perry moved to Harvard University. She is now a professor there. She teaches about women's studies and African American studies.

Books and Writings

Imani Perry has written many books. She has also published many articles. Her writings are about law, culture, and African American studies. She even wrote a book about the famous writer Lorraine Hansberry. She also wrote notes for a special edition of Narrative of Sojourner Truth.

Her work often explores important ideas. These include how race and American hip hop music are connected. Her 2022 book, South to America: A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation, was very popular. It became a New York Times bestseller. It also won the 2022 National Book Award for Nonfiction.

List of Books

• 2004: Prophets of the Hood: Politics and Poetics in Hip Hop
• 2005: Narrative of Sojourner Truth (Notes and Introduction)
• 2011: More Beautiful and More Terrible: The Embrace and Transcendence of Racial Inequality in the United States
• 2018: Looking for Lorraine: The Radiant and Radical Life of Lorraine Hansberry
  • This book won the 2019 PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award for Biography.
  • It was also a New York Times Notable Book of 2018.
• 2018: May We Forever Stand: A History of the Black National Anthem
• 2018: Vexy Thing: On Gender and Liberation
• 2019: Breathe: A Letter to My Sons
• 2022: South to America: A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation
• 2025: Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the Story of My People

Awards and Recognition

Imani Perry has received many awards for her amazing work.