In The Black Family Who Built America: The McKissacks, Two Centuries of Daring Pioneers (Atria/Black Privilege Publishing, 2025) Cheryl McKissack Daniel, with Nick Chiles, unveils the remarkable, untold story of the McKissack family—founders of the nation’s premier Black-owned design and construction firm. Beginning in the mid-1800s, the McKissacks helped shape the physical and cultural landscape of the United States, leaving an enduring mark on some of the country’s most iconic infrastructure.

From the National Civil Rights Museum in Tennessee to the redevelopment of Atlantic Yards (Pacific Park) in Brooklyn; from the Barclays Center Arena and the Oculus in Manhattan to the New Terminal One at JFK International Airport and Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, McKissack & McKissack has played a critical role in bringing landmark projects to life across the country.

As the fifth-generation leader of the nation’s oldest Black-owned design and construction services firm, Cheryl McKissack Daniel carries forward a 120+ year legacy of excellence. Under her leadership, the firm has delivered more than 6,000 planning, design, and construction projects and overseen over $50 billion in construction in the past decade—while continuing to break barriers in a historically male-dominated industry.

Speakers:
Cheryl McKissack Daniel, Author, The Black Family Who Built America: The McKissacks, Two Centuries of Daring Pioneers; Board Chair, McKissack & McKissack
Peter Robinson, Founder, WorkUrban; Assistant Professor, Department of Architecture, Cornell University College of Architecture, Art and Planning

About the Speakers:
A civil engineer, author, and executive with more than 30 years of experience, Cheryl McKissack Daniel has led all phases of the design and construction industry, overseeing major projects across the commercial, healthcare, education, and transportation sectors. Born in Nashville, Tennessee, she represents the fifth generation of a remarkable family legacy that began with an enslaved Ashanti ancestor in 1790. Under her leadership, McKissack provides construction management, program management, and consulting services nationwide, with a primary focus on infrastructure, transit, healthcare, and education. With more than 150 employees, the firm has managed over $50 billion in construction during the past decade. McKissack has been central to some of New York’s most transformative projects, including the New Terminal One at JFK International Airport, LaGuardia Central Terminal Building Redevelopment, Columbia University’s Manhattanville Expansion, Coney Island Hospital Campus Renovation, and as Independent Engineer Consultant to the MTA—the largest transportation system in the nation.

Peter Robinson is the founder of WorkUrban, a design consultancy that partners with communities, individuals and institutions while engaging students on a pathway toward leadership and empowerment. Through community engagement and participatory design, WorkUrban promotes effective urbanism around the world. As a founding board member of BlackSpace Urbanist Collective, Robinson utilizes his strong belief in the power of collaboration to advance student advocacy and create community change. A sought-after leader in the field of design consultancy, Robinson also serves on the Board of Advisors for BRACE: Building Research + Architecture + Community Exchange and has been elected Secretary / Treasurer | Board of Directors | Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture.

A limited amount of copies of the book will be available for sale at the event by Head Hi.

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