Press Release: Reopening Season Continues at Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library Upcoming In-Person Author Talks Feature Colson Whitehead

News Release — DC Public Library

For Immediate Release:
October 5, 2021

Media Contact:

George Williams, Media Relations Manager

(Washington, D.C.) – The DC Public Library kicked off its reopening season for the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library on September 25 with 13 hours of programming for more than 11,000 people. Now the Library is building on that momentum with author talks by national and local thought leaders at the District’s central library.

“We are thrilled to work in partnership with local bookstores and the DC Public Library Foundation to bring dynamic programming to our beautiful new Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library,” said Richard Reyes-Gavilan, executive director of DC Public Library. “The authors who are visiting over the next several weeks will attract new visitors to the library and bring new energy to downtown.”

Thursday, Oct. 14; 6:30 p.m.

¡Hola Papi! – A Conversation with JP Brammer

As part of Hispanic Heritage Month, writer JP Brammer will visit the DC Public Library to discuss his new book “¡Hola Papi!: How to Come Out in a Walmart Parking Lot and Other Life Lessons.” Brammer shares his story of growing up biracial and in the closet in America’s heartland, while attempting to answer some of life’s toughest questions.Brammer will be joined by Jack Harrison-Quintana, a queer Latino activist and director of Grindr for Equality.

Thursday, Oct. 21; 6 p.m.

Author George Worrell Discusses his book, “Dyed in Wool”

George Worrell has a passion for clothing today’s professionals in the kind of style that highlights their personalities, expresses the essence of what they bring to the table, facilitates productive relationships, and ultimately, one that opens all the right doors. In this, his second book, Worrell looks back over his very blessed life, noting the people, the events, the influences, and the patterns that have shaped his life, inspired his calling, opened doors, honed his gifts, and given him the laser focus that drives him today.

Wednesday, Oct. 20; 7 p.m.

Two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning Author Colson Whitehead Discusses New Book, “Harlem Shuffle,” with Jason Reynolds

“Harlem Shuffle” is driven by an ingeniously intricate plot that plays out in a beautifully recreated Harlem of the early 1960s. It’s a family saga masquerading as a crime novel, a hilarious morality play, a social novel about race and power, and ultimately a love letter to Harlem. Whitehead is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of “The Underground Railroad,” which in 2016 won the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction and the National Book Award and was named one of the Ten Best Books of the Year by The New York Times Book Review, as well as The Noble Hustle, Zone One, Sag Harbor, The Intuitionist, John Henry Days, Apex Hides the Hurt, and The Colossus of New York.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library is located at 901 G St. NW near the Metro Center and Gallery Place Metro Stations. People will be required to wear masks in Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. For more information, visit dclibrary.org.