How the Word Is Passed

How the Word Is Passed (2021) is a travelogue that underscores how slavery has shaped America’s collective history and its reality today. Nine locations serve as gateways to important stories that are hidden in plain sight. They exemplify how communities have reckoned, or not, with their roles in the history of slavery and invite us all to dig deeper into what we believe – and why.

• Anyone who wants to better understand America’s relationship with slavery
• Community members seeking historical context on Black Lives Matter
• Activists and history buffs interested in how the past informs the present

Clint Smith is a staff writer at the Atlantic and the author of Counting Descent, an award-winning book of poetry. His writing has also appeared in the New Yorker, the New York Times Magazine, the Paris Review, and Poetry, among others. Smith has been awarded fellowships from the Art for Justice Fund, Cave Canem, New America, and the National Science Foundation. He holds a BA in English from Davidson College and a PhD in Education from Harvard University.