15 Authors Who Chronicled the Untold Stories of America

1. Isabel Wilkerson

Isabel Wilkerson has become one of the most influential chroniclers of America’s hidden histories. Her book “The Warmth of Other Suns” draws on more than 1,200 interviews and tells the deeply personal stories of Black Americans who fled the Jim Crow South during the Great Migration. Released in 2010, it was awarded the National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction. Wilkerson uses meticulous research and moving narratives to explain how this migration shaped modern America, influencing cities, culture, and civil rights. In 2020, she published “Caste,” which explores America’s unseen social hierarchies, earning a spot on The New York Times Best Seller list. Wilkerson’s work is often cited by educators and policymakers alike, and “Caste” was named one of TIME’s 100 Must-Read Books of 2020. Through her storytelling, readers gain insight into the lives of those who often go unrecognized in mainstream history.

2. Studs Terkel

Studs Terkel’s oral histories revealed the voices of everyday Americans who seldom made headlines. His 1974 classic “Working” compiled interviews with hundreds of workers, from gravediggers to executives, showing the dignity and struggle in daily labor. Terkel’s unique interviewing style—warm, persistent, and endlessly curious—helped his subjects open up about the joys and frustrations of their work. His books, including “The Good War” (which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1985), spotlighted civilians and soldiers, offering rarely-heard perspectives on pivotal moments. Terkel’s method influenced countless journalists and historians. His archives, now at the Chicago History Museum, remain a treasure trove of American experience. By elevating the stories of those overlooked by textbooks, Terkel shaped how America remembers its past.

3. Roxane Gay

Roxane Gay’s writing shines a light on stories that often go ignored, especially those of marginalized women and queer people. Her 2014 collection “Bad Feminist” became a bestseller, blending memoir, cultural criticism, and sharp humor to discuss race, gender, and identity in America. Gay’s 2017 memoir “Hunger” explored her relationship with her body, trauma, and society’s expectations, resonating with readers from all walks of life. She has also edited anthologies like “Not That Bad,” which collects essays about rape culture—giving voice to survivors who are usually silenced. Gay’s influence extends to her columns for The New York Times, where she tackles everything from pop culture to political unrest. Her ability to connect the personal and the political makes her a powerful chronicler of America’s unseen struggles.

4. Luis Alberto Urrea

Luis Alberto Urrea is known for capturing the untold stories of America’s borderlands. His nonfiction book “The Devil’s Highway,” a Pulitzer Prize finalist, follows the tragic journey of Mexican migrants crossing the Arizona desert in 2001. Through research, interviews, and storytelling, Urrea exposes the deadly reality of immigration and the human faces behind the headlines. He often draws from his own bicultural roots, weaving together stories that highlight both suffering and resilience. Urrea’s novels and essays further explore the complexities of identity, family, and survival among Mexican Americans. His work is regularly taught in schools and cited in immigration debates. Urrea’s writing helps readers see the border as more than a line on a map—it’s a place of dreams, loss, and hope.

5. Jesmyn Ward

Jesmyn Ward is the first woman to win the National Book Award for Fiction twice, with “Salvage the Bones” (2011) and “Sing, Unburied, Sing” (2017). Her novels are grounded in rural Mississippi, focusing on Black families facing poverty, racism, and natural disasters. Ward’s memoir “Men We Reaped” recounts the deaths of five young men in her life, revealing the systemic forces that shape small-town America. Her books draw from both personal experience and deep research, making her stories feel both intimate and universal. Ward’s work has been praised by critics for its lyrical prose and unflinching honesty. She often speaks about the need to uplift stories from communities that rarely get the spotlight. Through her writing, Ward ensures that the voices of the Gulf Coast are heard.

6. Victor LaValle

Victor LaValle’s novels and stories bring to life the overlooked corners of American society, blending horror, folklore, and social commentary. His 2016 novel “The Ballad of Black Tom” reimagines a classic H.P. Lovecraft story from a Black perspective, examining racism in 1920s New York. LaValle’s “The Changeling” dives into the fears of modern parenthood, mental health, and urban life, all while weaving in myth and magic. He often centers marginalized voices—immigrants, people of color, those battling mental illness—using genre fiction to explore real-world struggles. LaValle’s work has won the Shirley Jackson Award and American Book Award, and is frequently discussed in literary circles for its fresh take on American issues. His stories remind readers that even the fantastical can reveal hard truths about the country.

7. Viet Thanh Nguyen

Viet Thanh Nguyen, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2016 for “The Sympathizer,” has brought new attention to the Vietnamese American experience. His memoir “Nothing Ever Dies” and the short story collection “The Refugees” document the complexities of war, memory, and identity. Nguyen’s writing is informed by his own family’s journey as refugees after the Vietnam War. He challenges the dominant American narratives, showing the lingering effects of conflict on individuals and communities. Nguyen is a vocal advocate for immigrant and refugee voices in literature and has contributed essays to major publications on race and representation. His work is frequently cited by scholars studying the legacy of the Vietnam War in America. Through his words, Nguyen ensures that the stories of refugees are not forgotten.

8. Joy Harjo

Joy Harjo became the first Native American U.S. Poet Laureate in 2019, using her platform to highlight Indigenous histories and experiences. Harjo’s poetry and memoirs—like “Crazy Brave”—blend family stories, tribal lore, and contemporary struggles. She often writes about the resilience of Native peoples in the face of centuries of hardship, including forced removals and cultural erasure. Harjo’s work is shaped by her Muscogee (Creek) heritage, offering readers a look at America through an Indigenous lens. Her poems are taught in classrooms nationwide, sparking conversations about land, memory, and justice. In interviews, Harjo has spoken about the importance of reclaiming Native voices in literature. Her writing gives a lyrical, powerful voice to histories that have long been silenced.

9. Ta-Nehisi Coates

Ta-Nehisi Coates has played a major role in reshaping how America talks about race. His 2015 book “Between the World and Me”—written as a letter to his teenage son—won the National Book Award and became a cultural touchstone. Coates draws on personal experience, interviews, and historical research to discuss systemic racism, police violence, and the Black American experience. His long-form essays for The Atlantic, such as “The Case for Reparations,” have sparked nationwide debates and influenced policy discussions. Coates’s work is both personal and political, urging readers to confront uncomfortable truths. His writing style—direct, passionate, and poetic—has been widely imitated. By chronicling stories often left out of mainstream history, Coates challenges readers to see America in a new light.

10. Min Jin Lee

Min Jin Lee’s novels explore the Korean American experience, shedding light on stories rarely seen in popular culture. Her book “Pachinko,” a finalist for the National Book Award, traces four generations of a Korean family in Japan and the U.S., exploring themes of belonging, discrimination, and resilience. Lee’s meticulous research brings depth to her characters, making their struggles and triumphs feel universal. She often discusses the challenges faced by immigrants—language barriers, identity crises, and the search for community. “Pachinko” has been adapted into a successful television series, further spreading these untold stories. Lee frequently speaks at universities and literary festivals about the importance of diverse narratives. Her writing helps readers understand the complexities of the Asian American experience.

11. Matthew Desmond

Matthew Desmond’s groundbreaking book “Evicted” (2016) examines the hidden epidemic of eviction and housing instability in America. Based on years of fieldwork in Milwaukee, Desmond followed eight families as they navigated poverty, predatory landlords, and homelessness. The book revealed that in some U.S. cities, as many as one in five renter households face eviction annually—a statistic that shocked many policymakers and readers. “Evicted” won the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction and led to the creation of the Eviction Lab at Princeton University, which tracks eviction rates nationwide. Desmond’s research is regularly cited in debates about affordable housing and urban policy. By centering the experiences of those facing eviction, he exposed a crisis hiding in plain sight.

12. Erika Lee

Erika Lee is one of America’s leading historians on immigration. Her recent book “America for Americans” (2019) examines the long history of xenophobia in the United States, from the Chinese Exclusion Act to modern-day border debates. Lee uses census data, court records, and personal stories to show how anti-immigrant sentiment has shaped laws and society. She is the director of the Immigration History Research Center at the University of Minnesota, where she leads projects that document immigrant and refugee experiences. Lee frequently appears in media interviews and congressional hearings, making her research accessible to the public. Her work challenges readers to see both the harm and resilience in immigrant communities. By documenting these hidden histories, Lee encourages a more honest conversation about what it means to be American.

13. Tommy Orange

Tommy Orange’s debut novel “There There” (2018) was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. The book follows twelve Native American characters living in Oakland, California, weaving together their stories as they prepare for a powwow. Orange highlights the complexities of urban Native life—displacement, addiction, identity, and community. His research draws from his own Cheyenne and Arapaho heritage, as well as interviews and historical texts about Native experiences in American cities. “There There” sold over 300,000 copies in its first year, a rare feat for a literary debut. Orange continues to write and speak about the importance of Indigenous stories in American literature. His work challenges stereotypes and brings visibility to Native voices in the 21st century.

14. Angela Y. Davis

Angela Y. Davis has spent decades chronicling the struggles of those caught in the American prison system. Her books—including “Are Prisons Obsolete?” (2003)—combine personal experience, legal research, and interviews with incarcerated people. Davis was a leading voice in the prison abolition movement long before it entered mainstream debate. She has testified before Congress and appeared in documentaries, discussing the racial and gender disparities in American justice. Davis’s academic work is frequently cited in criminal justice reform efforts, and her activism continues to inspire new generations. She often emphasizes that the stories of prisoners—especially women and people of color—are essential to understanding America’s past and present. Through her writing, Davis keeps these stories in the public eye.

15. José Antonio Vargas

José Antonio Vargas is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who revealed his undocumented status in a 2011 essay for The New York Times Magazine. His memoir “Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen” (2018) tells the story of living in the U.S. without legal status, highlighting the fears, hopes, and contradictions faced by millions. Vargas founded the organization Define American to shift the conversation around immigration and to encourage media outlets to report more accurately on undocumented people. He appears regularly on television and at conferences, sharing both his own story and those of others in the immigrant community. According to the Migration Policy Institute, there are over 10 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S., but their personal stories are rarely heard. Vargas’s writing pushes readers to see undocumented Americans as neighbors, classmates, and contributors.