Alumna Claudia Rankine ’93 Releases New Book ‘Just Us: An American Conversation’

Just Us: An American Conversation, the new Literary Collection by Writing alumna Claudia Rankine ’93, was released on September 8 by Graywolf Press. In this collection of essays, poems, and images, Rankine urges us to begin the discussions that might open pathways through this divisive and stuck moment in American history as every day white supremacy becomes increasingly vocalized with no clear answers at hand.

According to Graywolf Press, “Just Us is an invitation to discover what it takes to stay in the room together, even and especially in breaching the silence, guilt, and violence that follow direct addresses of whiteness.” The 360 pages strong book can be purchased at Bookshop or your local bookstore. 

Rankine is the author of the acclaimed collection Citizen: An American Lyric (2014), a book-length poem that received enthusiastic reviews and many awards. The book was a finalist for the National Book Award in Poetry, the winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award in Poetry and a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award in Criticism. It was also on The New York Times bestseller list. 

Rankine has also published several collections of poetry, including Don’t Let Me Be Lonely: An American Lyric (2004), and Nothing in Nature is Private (1994). Most recently, she wrote the play White Card for the Shed. She is a 2016 MacArthur Fellow. Earlier this year, Rankine was inducted into the Academy of Arts & Sciences.

Rankine recently discussed her new release with NPR's All Things Considered and It's Been A Minute with Sam Sanders. Click below to hear the full interviews.