“Until affirmative action is described and understood as one mechanism by which to make amends for historical wrongdoing against members of marginalized communities, it will fail to meaningfully address the inequality that exists as a direct result of federal policy.”

American writer, poet and scholar

Clint Smith is an American writer, poet, and scholar. He is best known for How the Word Is Passed, which became a number one New York Times best seller and won the 2021 National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction. He has also published two poetry collections, Counting Descent in 2016 and Above Ground in 2023. His work spans nonfiction and poetry, with writing that has drawn wide recognition in both forms.