Wil Haygood will return to the University of the District of Columbia on Tuesday, Sept. 29, for a lecture and discussion of his latest book, “The War Within a War: The Black Struggle in Vietnam and at Home.”
The lecture begins at 5:30 p.m. in the UDC Student Center Ballroom. A reception and book signing will follow.
Haygood has a longstanding relationship with UDC and has visited the university several times over the years to engage with students. In May 2025, UDC awarded him an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters during its 175th Commencement.
“The War Within a War” examines the Vietnam War through the experiences of Black Americans, including those who served overseas and those confronting racism and the struggle for civil rights at home.
Haygood is the author of 10 nonfiction books, including “The Butler: A Witness to History,” which inspired the Lee Daniels film “The Butler.” A former correspondent for The Washington Post and The Boston Globe, he was a Pulitzer Prize finalist while at the Globe.
His other works have explored the lives of Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. and U.S. Rep. Adam Clayton Powell Jr.
Haygood’s work has earned numerous honors. He is a Guggenheim and National Endowment for the Humanities fellow and received the Ambassador Richard C. Holbrooke Distinguished Achievement Award from the Dayton Literary Peace Prize Foundation in 2022. In 2026, he was elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.
Event Details
Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026
5:30 p.m.
UDC Student Center Ballroom
4200 Connecticut Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20008
A reception and book signing will immediately follow the lecture.