Melissa Harris-Perry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Melissa Harris-Perry
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Harris-Perry in 2016.
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| Born | Melissa Victoria Harris October 2, 1973 Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
| Occupation | Author, political commentator, professor |
| Education | Wake Forest University (BA) Duke University (MA, PhD) Columbia University |
| Subject | American politics, race relations |
| Spouse | Dennis Lacewell (1999–2005) James Perry (2010–present) |
| Children | 2 daughters |
Melissa Victoria Harris-Perry, born on October 2, 1973, is an American writer, professor, and TV host. She is also a political commentator. This means she shares her opinions and ideas about politics. She often focuses on topics related to African-American politics. From 2012 to 2016, she hosted her own weekend news show called Melissa Harris-Perry on MSNBC.
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Early Life and Education
Melissa Harris-Perry was born in Seattle, Washington. She grew up in Chesterfield County, Virginia. She went to Thomas Dale High School there. Her father was the first dean of African-American Affairs at the University of Virginia. Her mother, Diana Gray, taught at a community college. She also worked for groups that helped people. These groups provided services like day-care and health care.
Harris-Perry studied English at Wake Forest University. She earned a bachelor's degree there. Later, she received a PhD in political science from Duke University. Political science is the study of how governments work. She also studied theology at Union Theological Seminary of Columbia University.
Career Highlights
Melissa Harris-Perry has had an impressive career. She has taught at several universities. She has also worked as a journalist and TV host.
University Professor
In 1999, Harris-Perry joined the political science team at the University of Chicago. She taught there for seven years. In 2006, she became a professor at Princeton University. She taught political science and African-American studies.
In 2011, she moved to Tulane University. There, she started the Anna Julia Cooper Project. This project studies race, gender, and politics. It focuses on these topics in the Southern United States.
On July 1, 2014, Harris-Perry returned to Wake Forest University. She became the Maya Angelou Presidential Chair Professor. The Anna Julia Cooper Project is now based at Wake Forest.
Writing and Media Work
Harris-Perry writes regularly for The Nation magazine. She also co-hosts a podcast called System Check. She has written two books. One of her books was published under her former name, Melissa Victoria Harris-Lacewell.
Hosting Melissa Harris-Perry on MSNBC
On February 18, 2012, Melissa Harris-Perry started hosting her own weekend morning show. It was called Melissa Harris-Perry and aired on MSNBC.
In 2013, she apologized for a segment on her show. It included jokes about a family picture of former presidential candidate Mitt Romney. The picture included his adopted Black grandson.
Leaving MSNBC
On February 26, 2016, Harris-Perry announced she would not host her show that weekend. She felt her show was being changed without her input. She stated she would only return if she could do "substantive, meaningful and autonomous work." MSNBC confirmed she was leaving the network on February 28, 2016.
Editor at ELLE.com
After leaving MSNBC, Harris-Perry joined Elle.com. On April 18, 2016, it was announced she would be an editor-at-large. In this role, she focused on race, gender, politics, and fashion. She aimed to share stories of women and girls of color.
Hosting The Takeaway
On July 23, 2021, Harris-Perry became the interim host of The Takeaway. This is a radio show. She was later named the permanent host and managing editor on October 18, 2021. In March 2023, the show was canceled by WNYC.
Personal Life
In 2010, Melissa Harris-Perry married James Perry. He is a lawyer and the CEO of the Winston-Salem Urban League. Their daughter was born in 2014. She is Harris-Perry's second child.
