The Story of an American Masterpiece is a public lecture and conversation based on Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Salamishah Tillet’s life-changing experiences reading and then returning again and again to Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Color Purple, and its adaptations at crucial points in her life. Traversing cultural criticism, memoir, and biography, Tillet’s book, In Search of the Color Purple: The Story of An American Masterpiece follows her as she recovers from sexual assault by finding herself in Walker’s most beloved characters, Celie, Shug, and Sophia. In this healing journey, she comes across others, including actress Oprah Winfrey, activist Gloria Steinem, artist Mickalene Thomas, and even Walker herself, who share their own stories of being inspired by Celie’s voice and vision of justice as well.

Following the reading, Tillet will discuss her work with James Goodman, a professor of history and creative writing at Rutger University. A Q&A session will follow the conversation.