Noah鈥檚 book, 鈥淏orn a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood,鈥� is assigned reading for all incoming SU students聽
Trevor Noah
Comedian and author Trevor Noah, host of the Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning on Comedy Central, will visit 黑料不打烊 in late January 2019 as a special guest of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, in collaboration with the University Lectures series.
黑料不打烊鈥檚 34th annual 鈥攖he largest event of its kind in the country鈥攚ill take place on Sunday, Jan. 27, in the Carrier Dome. Noah will take part in an on-stage conversation, talking about his acclaimed memoir, (Random House, 2016), reflecting on the life and legacy of Dr. King, and discussing the global impact of the civil rights movement. Further details of the event will be announced later in the fall.
鈥淣ot only is Trevor Noah a popular television personality and the most successful comedian in South African history, his recent and renowned text has proven to be informative, formative and deeply transformative,鈥� says the Rev. Brian E. Konkol, dean of Hendricks Chapel and co-chair of the 2019 MLK Celebration. 鈥淏y showing the connections among Soweto, Selma and 黑料不打烊 at our 2019 MLK Celebration, we will recognize the global impact of the civil rights movement and consider how we, too, may receive the freedom to flourish as citizens of the world.鈥�
鈥淏orn a Crime鈥� is the selected book for the 2018-19 黑料不打烊 Reads Program, a shared reading initiative coordinated by the Provost鈥檚 Office that is part of the First-Year Experience for all new SU students. The initiative aims to engage students in a shared experience that explores themes of identity, belonging, diversity, inclusion, and health and wellness.
In the book, Noah, who was born in South Africa to a black South African mother and a white European father, recounts his childhood growing up during the last days of apartheid and the opportunities and adventures with his mother in the period that followed.
The University provided more than 3,900 special softcover copies and e-copies of the book to all incoming first-year and transfer students in June. The students were instructed to read 鈥淏orn a Crime鈥� over the summer. After their arrival on campus for the fall semester, the students will participate in a series of five-week discussion sessions鈥攃o-led by a student peer facilitator and a faculty, staff or graduate student lead facilitator鈥攊ntended to enhance the students鈥� understanding of the topics addressed in the book and engage them in broader contexts about identity, resiliency, inclusion and community.
Free copies of 鈥淏orn a Crime鈥� have also been made available through the SU Bookstore to current students, faculty and staff with a valid SUID, and individuals have been encouraged to host their own discussions or book club readings about the book.
鈥淭revor Noah鈥檚 book provides a foundation for the critical topics of identity, belonging and inclusion that all college students can and should examine,鈥� says Amanda G. Nicholson, assistant provost, dean of student success and co-chair of the First-Year Experience Initiative. 鈥淭o hear from him firsthand will be a truly meaningful opportunity to explore difficult themes from a global perspective and continue our shared campus conversation through the First-Year Experience around those themes.鈥�
鈥淲e are thrilled to host Trevor Noah, who will share his experiences and reflections with our students and the entire campus community as we continue to build a more welcoming, inclusive community,鈥� says Kira Kristal Reed, provost faculty fellow, associate professor in the Whitman School and co-chair of the First-Year Experience Initiative. 鈥淗is appearance will enhance the First-Year Experience as we engage in a shared reading and discussions, and wellness opportunities throughout the fall, and conclude with the MLK celebration.鈥�
Noah is the most successful comedian in Africa. He joined 鈥淭he Daily Show with Jon Stewart鈥� in 2014 as a contributor and took over as host of the show in September 2015, upon Stewart鈥檚 retirement.
He was named one of 鈥淭he 35 Most Powerful People in New York Media鈥� by The Hollywood Reporter in 2017 and 2018, and Time magazine named him to its Time 100, an annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world,鈥� for 2018.
Born in Johannesburg in 1984, Noah began his career as a comedian, presenter and actor in his native South Africa in 2002. He held several television hosting roles with the South African Broadcasting Corp. and performed in stand-up comedy tours across South Africa. He was creator and host of 鈥淭onight with Trevor Noah鈥� from 2010 until 2011, when he relocated to the United States.
On Jan. 6, 2012, Noah became the first South African stand-up comedian to appear on 鈥淭he Tonight Show.鈥� In May 2013, he had the same distinction appearing on 鈥淭he Late Show with David Letterman.鈥�
Noah was the subject of the award-winning 2012 documentary 鈥淵ou Laugh But It鈥檚 True,鈥� which tells the story of his remarkable career in post-apartheid South Africa. That same year, he starred in the one-man comedy show 鈥淭revor Noah: The Racist,鈥� which was based on his similarly titled South African special, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 Racist.鈥� His Showtime comedy special 鈥淭revor Noah: African American鈥� premiered in 2013. He recorded the stand-up special 鈥淭revor Noah: Lost in Translation鈥� for Comedy Central in 2015 and debuted his ninth comedy special, 鈥淭revor Noah: Afraid of the Dark,鈥� on Netflix in 2017.
In his time as host of 鈥淭he Daily Show,鈥� both he and the program have won numerous honors, including a Writers Guild of America Award, a Nickelodeon Kids鈥� Choice Award, a GLAAD Media Award, an MTV Movie & TV Award and a Primetime Emmy Award, all in 2017. 鈥淭he Daily Show鈥� has been nominated for several awards in 2018, including three Primetime Emmys: for Outstanding Variety Talk Series, Outstanding Interactive Program and Outstanding Short Form Variety Series; the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards will be broadcast on NBC on Sept. 17.
In 2016, Noah released 鈥淏orn a Crime,鈥� his first book, which was an immediate New York Times bestseller. Additionally, his performance on the 鈥� was Audible鈥檚 highest rated audiobook of 2016, and it has remained one of the top selling titles on Audible since its release. It was also nominated for two NAACP Image Awards, one for Outstanding Literary Work by a Debut Author and another for Outstanding Literary Work in the Biography/Auto-Biography category.
The book is a collection of personal stories about growing up in South Africa during the last gasps of apartheid and the tumultuous days of freedom that came with its demise. Already known for his incisive social and political commentary, Noah with the book turns his focus inward, giving readers an intimate look at the world that shaped him.
He shares true stories, sometimes dark, occasionally bizarre, frequently tender, and often hilarious: from subsisting on caterpillars during months of extreme poverty to making comically hapless attempts at teenage romance to the occasion he was thrown in jail to the time he was tossed from a speeding car driven by murderous gangsters.
ABOUT THE FIRST-YEAR EXPERIENCE
For the 2018-19 academic year, the First-Year Experience is focused on three core areas: anchor courses within each school or college; a shared reading and discussion experience with peers, faculty and staff; and health and wellness activities. These three areas aim to build community, improve cross-cultural skills and increase practices of healthy habits for first-year and transfer students. With the selection of Trevor Noah鈥檚 memoir, 鈥淏orn a Crime,鈥� the shared reading is meant for new students鈥攁nd the entire University community鈥攖o engage in a common experience and explore themes of identity, belonging, wellness, diversity and inclusion.
ABOUT THE MLK CELEBRATION
黑料不打烊鈥檚 celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is the largest event of its kind on a college campus. The 34thannual event will take place on Sunday, Jan. 27, in the Carrier Dome. The event got its start before Congress acted to recognize Dr. King with a federal holiday honoring his memory and accomplishments. 黑料不打烊鈥檚 celebration includes student and community entertainment, dinner and presentation of the Unsung Hero Awards, which recognize local community members who have championed the plight of those in need.
ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY LECTURES
The is 黑料不打烊鈥檚 premier speaker series, with a long and distinguished history of showcasing individuals of exceptional accomplishment who share their talents, experiences and perspectives for the enjoyment of SU students/faculty/staff and the Central New York community. Now entering its 18th year, the cross-disciplinary series was created through, and is supported by, the generosity of alumnus Robert B. Menschel 鈥�51.
