Harlem Academy's Literary Speaker Series

5/20/2025

In recent weeks, we welcomed two inspiring leaders to Harlem Academy as part of our Literary Speaker Series: Tony and Grammy Award-winning performer and bestselling author Leslie Odom Jr. and National Book Award-winning author and historian Dr. Ibram X. Kendi.

We created the speaker series to connect students with authors whose words help bring our School Creed to life - whether through their own lived experiences or the lessons gleaned from the topics they explore in their writing. As a school that cultivates excellence and fosters a deep love of reading, we’re excited to have authors like Mr. Odom and Dr. Kendi engage our students in thought-provoking conversations that inspire them to pursue excellence in every part of their lives.

Mr. Odom, who will reprise his role as Aaron Burr in “Hamilton” this fall, spoke with students about his life, the importance of education, and his two books: “I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know,” a touching ode to the bond between parents and children, and “Failing Up: How to Take Risks, Aim Higher, and Never Stop Learning,” a memoir charting his journey to success and insights on overcoming challenges, embracing failure, and pursuing dreams.

“I believe in the power of education,” Mr. Odom told students. “It’s the passport to your dreams.” He explained that the title “Failing Up” represents the importance of taking big swings in life and having the courage to fail. “You always come out ahead when you’re studying, when you’re preparing for something, when you’re trying as hard as you can. When you really give it your best effort, you can’t lose. You either win or you learn.” It’s a sentiment reflected in lines from our School Creed: I make the most of each day. I learn from my mistakes. I don’t give up.

A few weeks later, Dr. Kendi spoke with our middle schoolers for a discussion of his new book, “Malcolm Lives! The Official Biography of Malcolm X for Young Readers.” Moderated by eighth graders Rabi and Christiana, history teacher Earl Simons, and middle school director William Beller, the enlightening conversation delved into Malcolm X’s life and legacy, exploring his experiences with poverty, racism, incarceration, and activism. Our two eighth grade moderators eagerly stepped into the role, confidently asking Dr. Kendi insightful questions that led him to make connections between the lessons Malcolm X learned throughout his life and the impact they can have on students today.

When Rabi asked about Malcolm X’s time in prison, it gave Dr. Kendi the opportunity to address the activist’s unorthodox education. “If you have a tremendous desire to know, you’re an intellectual. That is what Malcolm became,” he explained, highlighting how Malcolm X, who’d dropped out of school in eighth grade, educated himself in prison by reading voraciously and copying every word in the dictionary. Dr. Kendi encouraged our middle schoolers to ask questions and read as much as possible to find answers.

“To learn about Malcolm X is to learn about someone who was fearless. Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is standing up for what is right despite fear,” Dr. Kendi told students, echoing the ideals of boldness, leadership, and care for community found in our School Creed.

To commemorate each visit, students received autographed copies of the authors’ books. We are thankful to Mr. Odom and Dr. Kendi for sharing their wisdom and time with our students and families.

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