Tigerland

Worldwide Book Debut of Tigerland for Miami's Class of 2022 Worldwide Book Debut of Tigerland for Miami's Class of 2022

Author Wil HaygoodDescribed as "one of our most accomplished alumni," Wil Haygood ('76) will debut his latest book, Tigerland: 1968-1969 A City Divided, a Nation Torn Apart, and a Magical Season of Healing, in August 2018 at his alma mater. 

Miami's Class of 2022 will be the first in the world to receive copies of the book due to a special arrangement with the publisher for an early delivery. Some new students will study Tigerland in their university studies classes this fall.

Haygood, Miami’s Boadway Distinguished Scholar-in-Residence, says he hopes his story will serve as inspiration to continue improving race relations in America.

"I am of the mind that this book can help us understand why we are stronger together," said Haygood at the announcement April 9 in Kumler Chapel.

The book is being published by Alfred A. Knopf and will be publicly available September 18, 2018.

Tigerland Debut Announced

On April 9, the news was announced to a crowd at Miami's Kumler Chapel.

"This exciting opportunity embodies Miami's dedication to inclusion, civil rights, equality and social justice."

—Miami President Greg Crawford

Wil Haygood Biography

Wil Haygood Biography

The first in his family to attend college, Will Haygood graduated from Miami in 1976 before spending three decades in journalism, writing for The Boston Globe and The Washington Post, among other papers.

While at the Washington Post, he wrote the article "A Butler Well Served by This Election," which served as the basis of the award-winning 2013 Lee Daniels film "The Butler."

Read about Wil Haygood

Wil Haygood animatedly speaking to an audience of Miami students

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About Tigerland

Tigerland: 1968-1969 A City Divided, a Nation Torn Apart, and a Magical Season of Healing tells the story of two high school sports teams in Columbus, Ohio.

That year, despite tremendous odds, both the baseball and basketball teams at the segregated, all-black East High School won the state championships—an unprecedented feat in Class AA Ohio athletic history. Tigerland puts this spirited story of improbable triumph in the context of the racially charged late 1960s, which results in an inspiring sports story and a singularly illuminating social history.

Tigerland is being published by Penguin Random House.

2018 Convocation

2017's incoming class sitting on the grassy lawn, listening to President Crawford give a speech

2017's incoming class sitting on the grassy lawn, listening to President Crawford give a speech

Join the Facebook Event

Tune in August 24 to watch the ceremony live.

Friday, August 24, 2018

9 a.m.

At the Freedom Summer Memorial (located on Western Campus—formerly Western College for Women)
Directions

Join us on the lawn as we celebrate the start of a new academic year with keynote speaker Wil Haygood ('76), who will introduce Tigerland to the University's incoming class of scholars.

Incoming Students: Summer Reading discussion groups will convene immediately following Convocation.

Students outside sitting in a circle discussing the summer reading selection

This year's Summer Reading Program invites students to engage with several texts and multimedia resources that share the themes of civil rights and social justice found in Tigerland.

Freedom Summer

This freedom summer 64 memorial, a joint project of the Oxford NAACP, Friends of the Mississippi Summer Project and Miami University, was dedicated April 7,2000. It honors the young volunteers involved in the historic voter registration drive of 1964 and symbolizes appreciation for the idealism of young people everywhere whose sacrifices have created a more just society.

Haygood, along with author and fellow alumnus Jeff Pegues, held a public conversation in fall 2017 through the lens of Freedom Summer, a marker year in U.S. civil rights and one with particular connection to Oxford.

The conversation is the first in what will be a series exploring the lasting effects of Freedom Summer, 1964, when about 800 volunteers converged for training at the Western College for Women—now Miami's Western campus—before traveling south to register black voters.

At that spot where the training happened, an outdoor monument was dedicated in 2000. It also honors three of the civil rights workers who lost their lives during that movement. For more information on Miami's role in Freedom Summer and how it permanently affected the fabric of this university, see Celebrating Freedom.