Award-winning author and journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates is bringing his perspective on race, politics, and democracy to Rutgers University-Newark for a timely conversation following the 2026 midterm elections.
The Sheila Y. Oliver Center for Politics and Race in America will host “Where Do We Go From Here? A Conversation with Ta-Nehisi Coates on Race and American Democracy” on Nov. 4 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Ruth Bader Ginsburg Hall in Newark, New Jersey. The discussion will allow Coates to examine the country’s political direction and offer his analysis of the election results a day after the midterms.
The evening will begin with remarks from Rutgers University-Newark Chancellor Tonya Smith-Jackson and School of Arts and Sciences Dean Jacqueline Mattis. Coates will then read from his work before participating in a moderated discussion with James Jones, director of the Sheila Y. Oliver Center and an Africana studies professor. The program will conclude with an audience question-and-answer session.
Established in 2023 and renamed in 2024 to honor the late New Jersey Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver, the center examines the intersection of race and politics through research, education, and community collaboration. Its work includes developing public service career pathways for underrepresented communities and supporting research on the ways race influences American political institutions. The event supports that broader mission by creating space for students, scholars, and members of the public to engage in national conversations about political representation, racial inequality, and democratic participation.
For Coates, whose writing has consistently examined the relationship between America’s racial history and its present-day institutions, the post-election setting offers an opportunity to connect those questions to the country’s latest political developments. The 51-year-old Baltimore, Maryland, native is recognized as one of the country’s most influential contemporary writers examining race, identity, and American history. His literary portfolio includes Between the World and Me
, which won the 2015 National Book Award, We Were Eight Years in Power, The Water Dancer, and his most recent work, The Message.RELATED CONTENT: Stand for Something! Rutgers University Teachers and Faculty Are Officially On Strike Amidst Contract Negotiations