Jelani Cobb is an American writer, journalist, and academic, known for his in-depth analyses of race, politics, history, and culture. Since 2015, he has been a staff writer for *The New Yorker*, and since 2022, he has served as the dean of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, where he is also a professor of journalism. His academic career includes teaching positions at several prestigious institutions. He is the author of influential books such as *The Substance of Hope: Barack Obama and the Paradox of Progress* and *To the Break of Dawn: A Freestyle on the Hip Hop Aesthetic*, in which he explores the intersections of politics, African American identity, and popular culture. For his journalistic work, Cobb has received numerous awards, including the 2015 Hillman Prize for Opinion & Analysis Journalism. In 2018, he was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary for his writings on race, the Trump presidency, and white nationalism, solidifying his reputation as one of the most important voices in American public discourse.