Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
As a company. Mckizik and mckissicks survived Jim Crow, the KKK,
the Great Depression, the Civil rights carnage, racist the texts,
and bitter jealousy. Yet we are still here, thriving, growing, expanding,
striving for greatness, building America. Here's to our next two
hundred years.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Welcome to the Public Library Podcast. Sorry, here's your host
and podcast librarian, award winning poet, future bestselling author and
host of one of the most listened to radio shows
in America, Helen Little.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Hello, book lovers, and welcome to another episode of The
Public Library Podcast. Today, my guest is Cheryl mckisseck Daniel
and her book is The Black Family who Built America,
the mckissacks. Two centuries of daring pioneers. Welcome to the show.
Thank you so much. I'm excited.
Speaker 4 (00:53):
I am too.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
First of all, this book was amazing, and you know,
we talked a little bit before we started, and I
was like, how come I knew nothing about this story?
But I do now after reading your book. I know
so much now, maybe more than you want me to
know about you. But it was.
Speaker 4 (01:11):
Beautiful and I'm glad you shared it with the world.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
I'm glad you didn't wait any longer to share it
with the world because it is a very important story.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
I agree, very important, and you know what, there are
a lot of things in there that are personal, but
I want readers to know I'm a real person, that
I am down to earth, and I'm just like anyone
else out there who wants to start and have a legacy.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
So tell everybody what your book is about.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
My book is about my family that is five generations
in this country as designers and builders. I happen to
be the president and CEO of mckisick and McKissick, and
I am fifth generation in this business. And so if
you think about the fact that our family dates back
(02:01):
to seventeen ninety when the first slave or first descent
of our family came here as a slave and it
was off the trade of making bricks.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
This story is.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
About two hundred and thirty years of what it's been
like to run a black owned business in America through slavery,
through Jim Crow, through racism, through the Deep South. And
so you know, we make a case as to how
this company was able to make it, especially when you
(02:33):
think that you know, most companies can't even make it
to the second generation. You know the statistic on that,
I believe it's like sixty five percent, and to the
third generation is eighteen percent, and to the fourth is
three percent. And here we are five generations.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
Wow, you are having an interesting life, no doubt. New
York construction is interesting.
Speaker 4 (02:57):
Yeah, it is.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
Why was it import important to write this book now?
You know it's the timing is really God's timing. But
it's coming out at the right time. And I say
that because, listen, they're trying to do away with DEI programs,
which are the very programs that allow me to enter
into the New York market. Without these programs, there is
(03:21):
not a level playing field. And so to write this
book now lets everyone know that we've always been around.
We're not going anywhere. This is a receipt of who
we are as a black business, as a black family
representing black community. And so to be able to write
this book and say, Okay, you're just discovering black excellence.
(03:43):
But we know it's been around, it's just been ignored. Right,
We're not going to let you ignore it anymore.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
It's interesting because we have so much in common.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
We're a little bit less than a year apart in
age Southern girls from the neighboring states. I'm from North Carolina,
you're from Tennessee. I grew up spending a lot of
time on the campus of an HBCU. My father worked
at Livingstone College as a professor, and we've both found
success in the city of brotherly Love. But one experience
I did not have that sent a chill through my spine,
(04:13):
the burning cross you talk about in your book. What
was it like to write about that and the many
other incidents of racism that you've overcome.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
Was that a tough thing to do?
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Absolutely? Every time I think about it, I think about
another area that this has defined who I am as
a person. You know, seeing that cross burned let me
know that there are people out there who really do
hate us. Prior to that, you know, FIST University, Tennessee State,
(04:44):
we're on our own little conclave. You know, you're just
not thinking about hate in the world. But when something
like that happens in your neighborhood, in the front yard
of your good friends, and it wasn't a big yard,
then you know it was intentional and there's real hate
in the world, and that fear if they could get
that close to us, what can they really do to us?
(05:07):
And so you know, that still can trickle into my
thoughts depending on where I go and say, I'm you know,
in the South now and going to a gas station
off the side of the road, and I'm the only
black person. You know, that thought can come into my head.
Am I safe?
Speaker 4 (05:28):
It ain't only in the South, No, You're.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Right, it can happen right here.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
Because I was curious, how did that experience affect you
as you grew older working.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
In a male, white, male dominated field.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Right at first, you're wondering how people are accepting you.
You're wondering, you know, do they know that I can
bring some value to the situation. But over time, you know,
I got past that and just start not letting that
(06:02):
define me, although you know it's still there, yeah, but
not letting that be my focus. And so you know,
most rooms that I go into, I am usually the
only woman, and especially early on in New York City,
and definitely the only black woman in the room. And
you know, a lot of times you're underestimated, You're not
(06:24):
expected to add a lot to the conversation and definitely
not to lead the conversation. But over time as people
get to know you, and you know, I just kept
leaning into the fact that I had this long legacy,
that I knew I was smart, that I was well
(06:46):
prepared from Howard University, that I could deliver a really
good product and deliver it on time, within budget, and
so over time, you know, the stigma that is out
there about black companies, I could overcome because I was
counting on myself to do it.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Amen. Now your book is about your family, so you
already knew a lot. But what kind of research did
you do to prepare and write this book? So much
of your book shared history lessons for things I found valuable,
Like I didn't know Mahela Jackson had chicken restaurants.
Speaker 4 (07:22):
I should have known that. I'm a PK, I'm a
preachers kid. I should have known that, but I didn't.
But what kind of research did you do to write
this book?
Speaker 1 (07:33):
There were interviews of family members and then Nick Chiles,
who assists a lot in this book, he also did
a lot of research, but a lot of it was stories.
And then you know, there was hand written items from
Fisk University. There were thesis done on mcisic and mckisick
(07:57):
and so you know, we were able to pull together enough.
But I think the initial piece of information was probably
as simple as the family tree. I mean just being
able to look at the family tree and then get
a genealogist to go back and give us, you know,
as much information as they could because we had a
lot of it written down. But then you know, we
(08:19):
wanted birth records and marriage certificates and things like that.
But I'm telling you that one family tree gave us
a lot of information.
Speaker 4 (08:29):
I love looking going through all of that stuff in
my family as well.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
It's just fascinating because like all of that led to you,
you know, it's just such a wealth of emotion and information.
Had you always intended to write a book, and if so,
was this the book you always had in mind?
Speaker 1 (08:50):
No, this is this is a journey that started in
two thousand and three, and I knew I wanted to
get the story out because, like our conversation a few
minutes ago, a lot of people just don't know who
we are, and so how do you get that out
on a large scale? So the masses begin to understand that,
(09:12):
first of all, there is this whole industry of design
and construction, but that black people are a part of
it in a big way, and that we've been doing
it as long as we have. I don't know if
you remember, but down in the South there were a
lot of black brick layers. Yeah yeah, and so you know,
(09:35):
people just don't know that we have this rich history,
and so yeah, I wanted to get this story out
any way I could. I started off with trying to
do a sitcom with some folks in California that that
didn't take off too much. And then I tried to
I hired a literary publicist and she hired another writer
(09:59):
who was more historian. And that book was just about history.
I mean, it was chronological and it didn't involve a
lot of good stories to make it interesting. So I
was bored to tears when I picked it up and
read it.
Speaker 4 (10:14):
I put it.
Speaker 1 (10:16):
I put it in Foul thirteen. You know, I'm old
enough to remember foul thirteen in the corner, over in
the corner. And then Changering, my pr consultant and I
got together, and you know, we've been working with the
NAACP and CBS to try and get our movie, well
(10:37):
not really a movie, but a show out that was
inspired by So it may not have had all the
history that we have in the book. And then that's
when Chan ran into Nick Childs and introduced us to
Nick and Nick just he just has a real knack
to take stories and recreate them in print the way
(11:00):
they're said verbally. And so like, if my mother told
a story, he was able to recreate that in the book, Yes,
and you still felt the same passion. Or if it
was supposed to be funny, he was able to deliver
that one line that would make it funny.
Speaker 4 (11:16):
I fell in love with your mother.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
She's a sweetheart.
Speaker 4 (11:19):
Yeah, she's she's a character too.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
She's a character too, no nonsense. She's still like absolutely
at ninety five.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
And you know, it's interesting, you know, hearing about your
growing up in Nashville, and I'm in in Nashville many times.
I've never been to Black Nashville. I didn't know about
these buildings. I would love to go on a tour
of the buildings that your family built in Nashville. And
it's a different city now probably than the one you
grew up. What do you think of the Hollywoodization of
(11:51):
Nashville now?
Speaker 1 (11:54):
Well, when I grew up in Nashville, Nashville was probably
a population of three hundred thousand.
Speaker 3 (11:59):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
And so, you know, while our childhood was fun, you know,
you know, everybody you have a great time, I just
felt like there was more for me out there, and
you know, I wanted to be in a big city.
And I mean that's why I'm here in New York,
but I wanted more interaction, more people. Growing up in Nashville,
(12:23):
you know, really it was black and white. Yeah, there
were not a lot of you know, nationalities or other races,
and there just wasn't much there. We didn't even have
good Chinese food.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
I mean, I don't think I had Chinese food before
I was eighteen years old because I didn't know.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
You know, it's just there's no exposure.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
I don't think I might have had tacos for the
first time eighteen because again I'm from a small southern
town and everything was black or white.
Speaker 4 (12:52):
It was hamburgers and fried chicken and pizza and.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
Pizza, right. Yeah, you didn't even get goapasta. No, So
you come to a place like New York and you're
just you know, if you're over you're overwhelmed with all
the delicious options that we have. So I really like,
what's happening to Nashville right now. Now they call people
(13:15):
like me a unicorn in Nashville because one out of
fifteen people are from Nashville, yeah, or you know, they're
from all over. But it's good to be able to
see the city grow and the economy of the city
grow so that we can have, you know, trains to
the plane and all the kind of stuff that we
(13:36):
have here in New York. But you need an economy
for that.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
So I'm delighted, and I visit Nashville often. You know,
I have to tell you, I'm a diehard Philadelphia Eagles fan,
so thank you for our beloved link that your company
helped to build. That actually was one of the things
that really pushed me over the edge with wanting to
read your book, because I've been in that structure a
million times, the ocular, I mean, all these places that
I've been that your company had something I get chill
(14:03):
thinking about it, that your company had something to do
with building. I mean, I just got this great sense
of pride, and it made me wonder, because I like
to write, how similar is it to building is writing
a book? Are there similarities that you drew from from
one to the other? To create this great masterpiece that
(14:24):
you've written.
Speaker 1 (14:25):
That's a great question because you know it really is
project management, and you know, building a structure is pure
project management. You need a design, So just like a book,
you need an outline, right, yep. You need to design
the road map, the blueprint to tell you how you're
(14:45):
going to build something, and then it's a matter of
filling in and building, you know, brick by brick, piece
by piece, each sub consultant at a time. And it's
the same with a book. Once you have your outline,
then you're going to the specific chapters and you're building
it out. You're doing your research where you're going on
(15:08):
location to go see some of the structures that the
mckissicks have built, and you're taking pictures and documenting all
these structures. So, I mean it's very similar.
Speaker 4 (15:20):
So yep, it came easily to me. Yes, what are
you most proud of about this book?
Speaker 1 (15:29):
I am proud that I am getting this story out there,
and I am delighted with the feedback. People are calling
me and they're like, Cheryl, I got your book. I
sat down and I read it straight through over a
day or two. I did that because it's an easy read,
(15:51):
but it's good interesting information which I can credit Nick
for and so getting this story out again, it lets
the young people know that there is an alternative in
construction and design as far as a career. And we
do have a pipeline problem in our industry. We need
(16:13):
more young people going in into engineering and architecture and construction,
and so hopefully this book will you open the horizon
for a lot of young people, especially people of color.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
Sometimes it's only a matter of knowing that that's an
avenue to pursue, because if you don't see it, if
you don't know about it, how can you want to
do it?
Speaker 1 (16:37):
Exactly?
Speaker 3 (16:37):
So I do hope that that comes out of this.
What do your daughters think of the book? I mean,
you share a lot of personal stuff, and you don't
hold back, and you share some great and fun stories,
and I'm just curious what do they think of this?
Speaker 1 (16:53):
And you have the hard copy, you don't have the galley,
the galley hat either, more items that we needed to remove.
You know, they don't say much to me, but I
can tell that that they are proud that I finally
got it out. And why are they proud? I have
a I was on the Breakfast Club. You know, folks,
(17:17):
young folks loved that, and you know they were excited
to be able to go and and meet with DJ
Envy and and Charlemagne and.
Speaker 4 (17:28):
Hilarious.
Speaker 1 (17:29):
Yeah, I mean, you know. So I think that they're
beginning to see they can do what I do because
I know where they are now. And I remember being
just like them, very intimidated by my mother because she
had achieved so much and and she but she did
(17:53):
teach me that I could become who she is and greater.
And I hope that's what they're getting out of this
whole process with this book. My oldest daughter is doing
all of our social media. Yes, so it's it's good
because she's getting to see the comments online and respond
(18:13):
to a lot of the comments on my behalf and
I'll read well, she'll write, and I'm like, that's exactly
what I would have said.
Speaker 4 (18:21):
Well that helps too. Speaking of social media, if people
want to follow you, how do they do that?
Speaker 1 (18:28):
So I have my website Chryl mckisic Daniel dot com,
and then we also are at mckisic official and you
can see us on Instagram or just all the social
media platforms.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
Well, that's a great way to connect with a generation,
to to kind of you know, explain or or I
would say showcase, to showcase you know what it is
that you do as you hope to, you know, use this.
Speaker 4 (19:01):
Book to enlighten other people. And with that being said,
what is your hope for this book?
Speaker 1 (19:10):
So, I mean, I just want to touch as many
people as as possible. I want as many people to
pick up this book. And that's why the title is
as strong as it is. Yes, to attract people. Of course,
we did not build every building in America.
Speaker 3 (19:27):
We know that.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
You built, you built politic, but we were a part
of a whole lot more than people think. And so
you know, we want to get that word out. And
so you know, I'm seriously I just hope as many
people as possible pick up this book and read about it.
And and you know, I'm getting calls from all types
(19:52):
of people. I mean not only black people, but all
types of people are calling me in I just did
not know right, And I'm glad I do now. And
I'm proud of the story.
Speaker 4 (20:06):
Yeah, I can co sign that I am proud of
this story.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
I'm sending this book to three of my girlfriends in particular,
they're interested in building and investing. One's a contractor, another
one brought her first property in Brooklyn as a teenager,
and the third is investing in her nationally now. So
there are many sisters in this space. There are many
people in this space that will love reading this book.
(20:32):
Anyone who is interested in American history, not Black history,
but American history will love this book. And I'm so
glad you shared it with us.
Speaker 1 (20:42):
Thank you. I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
And again the title is the Black family who built America,
the Makissacks, two centuries of daring pioneers. Thank you so much,
Cheryl for coming on the show today. This was wonderful
and I wish you so so, so so so much
more success and more generations of this business being around.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
Thank you, Thank you.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
Another show in the books. Join us for the next
episode of the Public Library Podcast, a place to check
out books.
As a company. Mckizik and mckissicks survived Jim Crow, the KKK,
the Great Depression, the Civil rights carnage, racist the texts,
and bitter jealousy. Yet we are still here, thriving, growing, expanding,
striving for greatness, building America. Here's to our next two
hundred years.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Welcome to the Public Library Podcast. Sorry, here's your host
and podcast librarian, award winning poet, future bestselling author and
host of one of the most listened to radio shows
in America, Helen Little.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Hello, book lovers, and welcome to another episode of The
Public Library Podcast. Today, my guest is Cheryl mckisseck Daniel
and her book is The Black Family who Built America,
the mckissacks. Two centuries of daring pioneers. Welcome to the show.
Thank you so much. I'm excited.
Speaker 4 (00:53):
I am too.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
First of all, this book was amazing, and you know,
we talked a little bit before we started, and I
was like, how come I knew nothing about this story?
But I do now after reading your book. I know
so much now, maybe more than you want me to
know about you. But it was.
Speaker 4 (01:11):
Beautiful and I'm glad you shared it with the world.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
I'm glad you didn't wait any longer to share it
with the world because it is a very important story.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
I agree, very important, and you know what, there are
a lot of things in there that are personal, but
I want readers to know I'm a real person, that
I am down to earth, and I'm just like anyone
else out there who wants to start and have a legacy.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
So tell everybody what your book is about.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
My book is about my family that is five generations
in this country as designers and builders. I happen to
be the president and CEO of mckisick and McKissick, and
I am fifth generation in this business. And so if
you think about the fact that our family dates back
(02:01):
to seventeen ninety when the first slave or first descent
of our family came here as a slave and it
was off the trade of making bricks.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
This story is.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
About two hundred and thirty years of what it's been
like to run a black owned business in America through slavery,
through Jim Crow, through racism, through the Deep South. And
so you know, we make a case as to how
this company was able to make it, especially when you
(02:33):
think that you know, most companies can't even make it
to the second generation. You know the statistic on that,
I believe it's like sixty five percent, and to the
third generation is eighteen percent, and to the fourth is
three percent. And here we are five generations.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
Wow, you are having an interesting life, no doubt. New
York construction is interesting.
Speaker 4 (02:57):
Yeah, it is.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
Why was it import important to write this book now?
You know it's the timing is really God's timing. But
it's coming out at the right time. And I say
that because, listen, they're trying to do away with DEI programs,
which are the very programs that allow me to enter
into the New York market. Without these programs, there is
(03:21):
not a level playing field. And so to write this
book now lets everyone know that we've always been around.
We're not going anywhere. This is a receipt of who
we are as a black business, as a black family
representing black community. And so to be able to write
this book and say, Okay, you're just discovering black excellence.
(03:43):
But we know it's been around, it's just been ignored. Right,
We're not going to let you ignore it anymore.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
It's interesting because we have so much in common.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
We're a little bit less than a year apart in
age Southern girls from the neighboring states. I'm from North Carolina,
you're from Tennessee. I grew up spending a lot of
time on the campus of an HBCU. My father worked
at Livingstone College as a professor, and we've both found
success in the city of brotherly Love. But one experience
I did not have that sent a chill through my spine,
(04:13):
the burning cross you talk about in your book. What
was it like to write about that and the many
other incidents of racism that you've overcome.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
Was that a tough thing to do?
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Absolutely? Every time I think about it, I think about
another area that this has defined who I am as
a person. You know, seeing that cross burned let me
know that there are people out there who really do
hate us. Prior to that, you know, FIST University, Tennessee State,
(04:44):
we're on our own little conclave. You know, you're just
not thinking about hate in the world. But when something
like that happens in your neighborhood, in the front yard
of your good friends, and it wasn't a big yard,
then you know it was intentional and there's real hate
in the world, and that fear if they could get
that close to us, what can they really do to us?
(05:07):
And so you know, that still can trickle into my
thoughts depending on where I go and say, I'm you know,
in the South now and going to a gas station
off the side of the road, and I'm the only
black person. You know, that thought can come into my head.
Am I safe?
Speaker 4 (05:28):
It ain't only in the South, No, You're.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Right, it can happen right here.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
Because I was curious, how did that experience affect you
as you grew older working.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
In a male, white, male dominated field.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Right at first, you're wondering how people are accepting you.
You're wondering, you know, do they know that I can
bring some value to the situation. But over time, you know,
I got past that and just start not letting that
(06:02):
define me, although you know it's still there, yeah, but
not letting that be my focus. And so you know,
most rooms that I go into, I am usually the
only woman, and especially early on in New York City,
and definitely the only black woman in the room. And
you know, a lot of times you're underestimated, You're not
(06:24):
expected to add a lot to the conversation and definitely
not to lead the conversation. But over time as people
get to know you, and you know, I just kept
leaning into the fact that I had this long legacy,
that I knew I was smart, that I was well
(06:46):
prepared from Howard University, that I could deliver a really
good product and deliver it on time, within budget, and
so over time, you know, the stigma that is out
there about black companies, I could overcome because I was
counting on myself to do it.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Amen. Now your book is about your family, so you
already knew a lot. But what kind of research did
you do to prepare and write this book? So much
of your book shared history lessons for things I found valuable,
Like I didn't know Mahela Jackson had chicken restaurants.
Speaker 4 (07:22):
I should have known that. I'm a PK, I'm a
preachers kid. I should have known that, but I didn't.
But what kind of research did you do to write
this book?
Speaker 1 (07:33):
There were interviews of family members and then Nick Chiles,
who assists a lot in this book, he also did
a lot of research, but a lot of it was stories.
And then you know, there was hand written items from
Fisk University. There were thesis done on mcisic and mckisick
(07:57):
and so you know, we were able to pull together enough.
But I think the initial piece of information was probably
as simple as the family tree. I mean just being
able to look at the family tree and then get
a genealogist to go back and give us, you know,
as much information as they could because we had a
lot of it written down. But then you know, we
(08:19):
wanted birth records and marriage certificates and things like that.
But I'm telling you that one family tree gave us
a lot of information.
Speaker 4 (08:29):
I love looking going through all of that stuff in
my family as well.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
It's just fascinating because like all of that led to you,
you know, it's just such a wealth of emotion and information.
Had you always intended to write a book, and if so,
was this the book you always had in mind?
Speaker 1 (08:50):
No, this is this is a journey that started in
two thousand and three, and I knew I wanted to
get the story out because, like our conversation a few
minutes ago, a lot of people just don't know who
we are, and so how do you get that out
on a large scale? So the masses begin to understand that,
(09:12):
first of all, there is this whole industry of design
and construction, but that black people are a part of
it in a big way, and that we've been doing
it as long as we have. I don't know if
you remember, but down in the South there were a
lot of black brick layers. Yeah yeah, and so you know,
(09:35):
people just don't know that we have this rich history,
and so yeah, I wanted to get this story out
any way I could. I started off with trying to
do a sitcom with some folks in California that that
didn't take off too much. And then I tried to
I hired a literary publicist and she hired another writer
(09:59):
who was more historian. And that book was just about history.
I mean, it was chronological and it didn't involve a
lot of good stories to make it interesting. So I
was bored to tears when I picked it up and
read it.
Speaker 4 (10:14):
I put it.
Speaker 1 (10:16):
I put it in Foul thirteen. You know, I'm old
enough to remember foul thirteen in the corner, over in
the corner. And then Changering, my pr consultant and I
got together, and you know, we've been working with the
NAACP and CBS to try and get our movie, well
(10:37):
not really a movie, but a show out that was
inspired by So it may not have had all the
history that we have in the book. And then that's
when Chan ran into Nick Childs and introduced us to
Nick and Nick just he just has a real knack
to take stories and recreate them in print the way
(11:00):
they're said verbally. And so like, if my mother told
a story, he was able to recreate that in the book, Yes,
and you still felt the same passion. Or if it
was supposed to be funny, he was able to deliver
that one line that would make it funny.
Speaker 4 (11:16):
I fell in love with your mother.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
She's a sweetheart.
Speaker 4 (11:19):
Yeah, she's she's a character too.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
She's a character too, no nonsense. She's still like absolutely
at ninety five.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
And you know, it's interesting, you know, hearing about your
growing up in Nashville, and I'm in in Nashville many times.
I've never been to Black Nashville. I didn't know about
these buildings. I would love to go on a tour
of the buildings that your family built in Nashville. And
it's a different city now probably than the one you
grew up. What do you think of the Hollywoodization of
(11:51):
Nashville now?
Speaker 1 (11:54):
Well, when I grew up in Nashville, Nashville was probably
a population of three hundred thousand.
Speaker 3 (11:59):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
And so, you know, while our childhood was fun, you know,
you know, everybody you have a great time, I just
felt like there was more for me out there, and
you know, I wanted to be in a big city.
And I mean that's why I'm here in New York,
but I wanted more interaction, more people. Growing up in Nashville,
(12:23):
you know, really it was black and white. Yeah, there
were not a lot of you know, nationalities or other races,
and there just wasn't much there. We didn't even have
good Chinese food.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
I mean, I don't think I had Chinese food before
I was eighteen years old because I didn't know.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
You know, it's just there's no exposure.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
I don't think I might have had tacos for the
first time eighteen because again I'm from a small southern
town and everything was black or white.
Speaker 4 (12:52):
It was hamburgers and fried chicken and pizza and.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
Pizza, right. Yeah, you didn't even get goapasta. No, So
you come to a place like New York and you're
just you know, if you're over you're overwhelmed with all
the delicious options that we have. So I really like,
what's happening to Nashville right now. Now they call people
(13:15):
like me a unicorn in Nashville because one out of
fifteen people are from Nashville, yeah, or you know, they're
from all over. But it's good to be able to
see the city grow and the economy of the city
grow so that we can have, you know, trains to
the plane and all the kind of stuff that we
(13:36):
have here in New York. But you need an economy
for that.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
So I'm delighted, and I visit Nashville often. You know,
I have to tell you, I'm a diehard Philadelphia Eagles fan,
so thank you for our beloved link that your company
helped to build. That actually was one of the things
that really pushed me over the edge with wanting to
read your book, because I've been in that structure a
million times, the ocular, I mean, all these places that
I've been that your company had something I get chill
(14:03):
thinking about it, that your company had something to do
with building. I mean, I just got this great sense
of pride, and it made me wonder, because I like
to write, how similar is it to building is writing
a book? Are there similarities that you drew from from
one to the other? To create this great masterpiece that
(14:24):
you've written.
Speaker 1 (14:25):
That's a great question because you know it really is
project management, and you know, building a structure is pure
project management. You need a design, So just like a book,
you need an outline, right, yep. You need to design
the road map, the blueprint to tell you how you're
(14:45):
going to build something, and then it's a matter of
filling in and building, you know, brick by brick, piece
by piece, each sub consultant at a time. And it's
the same with a book. Once you have your outline,
then you're going to the specific chapters and you're building
it out. You're doing your research where you're going on
(15:08):
location to go see some of the structures that the
mckissicks have built, and you're taking pictures and documenting all
these structures. So, I mean it's very similar.
Speaker 4 (15:20):
So yep, it came easily to me. Yes, what are
you most proud of about this book?
Speaker 1 (15:29):
I am proud that I am getting this story out there,
and I am delighted with the feedback. People are calling
me and they're like, Cheryl, I got your book. I
sat down and I read it straight through over a
day or two. I did that because it's an easy read,
(15:51):
but it's good interesting information which I can credit Nick
for and so getting this story out again, it lets
the young people know that there is an alternative in
construction and design as far as a career. And we
do have a pipeline problem in our industry. We need
(16:13):
more young people going in into engineering and architecture and construction,
and so hopefully this book will you open the horizon
for a lot of young people, especially people of color.
Speaker 3 (16:29):
Sometimes it's only a matter of knowing that that's an
avenue to pursue, because if you don't see it, if
you don't know about it, how can you want to
do it?
Speaker 1 (16:37):
Exactly?
Speaker 3 (16:37):
So I do hope that that comes out of this.
What do your daughters think of the book? I mean,
you share a lot of personal stuff, and you don't
hold back, and you share some great and fun stories,
and I'm just curious what do they think of this?
Speaker 1 (16:53):
And you have the hard copy, you don't have the galley,
the galley hat either, more items that we needed to remove.
You know, they don't say much to me, but I
can tell that that they are proud that I finally
got it out. And why are they proud? I have
a I was on the Breakfast Club. You know, folks,
(17:17):
young folks loved that, and you know they were excited
to be able to go and and meet with DJ
Envy and and Charlemagne and.
Speaker 4 (17:28):
Hilarious.
Speaker 1 (17:29):
Yeah, I mean, you know. So I think that they're
beginning to see they can do what I do because
I know where they are now. And I remember being
just like them, very intimidated by my mother because she
had achieved so much and and she but she did
(17:53):
teach me that I could become who she is and greater.
And I hope that's what they're getting out of this
whole process with this book. My oldest daughter is doing
all of our social media. Yes, so it's it's good
because she's getting to see the comments online and respond
(18:13):
to a lot of the comments on my behalf and
I'll read well, she'll write, and I'm like, that's exactly
what I would have said.
Speaker 4 (18:21):
Well that helps too. Speaking of social media, if people
want to follow you, how do they do that?
Speaker 1 (18:28):
So I have my website Chryl mckisic Daniel dot com,
and then we also are at mckisic official and you
can see us on Instagram or just all the social
media platforms.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
Well, that's a great way to connect with a generation,
to to kind of you know, explain or or I
would say showcase, to showcase you know what it is
that you do as you hope to, you know, use this.
Speaker 4 (19:01):
Book to enlighten other people. And with that being said,
what is your hope for this book?
Speaker 1 (19:10):
So, I mean, I just want to touch as many
people as as possible. I want as many people to
pick up this book. And that's why the title is
as strong as it is. Yes, to attract people. Of course,
we did not build every building in America.
Speaker 3 (19:27):
We know that.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
You built, you built politic, but we were a part
of a whole lot more than people think. And so
you know, we want to get that word out. And
so you know, I'm seriously I just hope as many
people as possible pick up this book and read about it.
And and you know, I'm getting calls from all types
(19:52):
of people. I mean not only black people, but all
types of people are calling me in I just did
not know right, And I'm glad I do now. And
I'm proud of the story.
Speaker 4 (20:06):
Yeah, I can co sign that I am proud of
this story.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
I'm sending this book to three of my girlfriends in particular,
they're interested in building and investing. One's a contractor, another
one brought her first property in Brooklyn as a teenager,
and the third is investing in her nationally now. So
there are many sisters in this space. There are many
people in this space that will love reading this book.
(20:32):
Anyone who is interested in American history, not Black history,
but American history will love this book. And I'm so
glad you shared it with us.
Speaker 1 (20:42):
Thank you. I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
And again the title is the Black family who built America,
the Makissacks, two centuries of daring pioneers. Thank you so much,
Cheryl for coming on the show today. This was wonderful
and I wish you so so, so so so much
more success and more generations of this business being around.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
Thank you, Thank you.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
Another show in the books. Join us for the next
episode of the Public Library Podcast, a place to check
out books.
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