New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie covered topics from his writing to submarines in a wide-ranging conversation in Randolph-Macon’s Truist Theater on April 24.

The event was organized by Psychology and Neuroscience Department Chair Cedar Riener and moderated by Assistant Professor of History Donelle Boose.

Bouie, who joined the Opinion section of the New York Times in 2019, is a new voice on campus, but a common one in both the traditional and social media spheres. He publishes his Opinion writing several times a month in the Times, and also boasts a large following on TikTok and BlueSky. He is known for liberal commentary that is often at the intersection between race, history, and politics.   

The conversation on campus was far more personal, exploring Bouie’s background as the son of two Navy parents, attending diverse schools and African Methodist Episcopal (AME) churches in the Virginia Beach area, a middle-class upbringing he described as an “ordinary group of Black people.”

Bouie attended the University of Virginia on a scholarship, graduating with a degree in Political and Social Thought in 2009. After writing an election blog in college, a run-in with a magazine editor at a party in D.C. led to a writing fellowship and the start of a career as a political commentator. He worked at The Daily Beast and then as chief political correspondent at Slate before moving to the New York Times. 

In response to questions from Dr. Boose, Bouie reflected on the significant amount of history covered in his decade-plus as a columnist: Barack Obama’s re-election, the death of Trayvon Martin, and the emergence of Donald Trump onto the American political scene.

Bouie is a history buff and often incorporates historical context into his writing. Growing up visiting Yorktown, Jamestown, and Civil War battlefields, he quipped that his obsession with American history is “Virginia-coded.” When answering questions from the audience of RMC students and faculty members, Bouie discussed using history as an analogy and metaphor in analyzing current events. He said his goal is to provide readers with the broader context and tools with which to look at events and understand the world.

“If it illustrates something, it’s worth doing,” Bouie said.

In addition to touching on the hot-button topics of the day, and the role of journalists in interrogating and criticizing those in power, Bouie also discussed more light-hearted topics. As a reviewer of breakfast cereals for Serious Eats, he recounted the time he tried a sweet green onion cereal from South Korea—and counted it among the worst things he’s ever eaten.

Bouie also talked about his podcast Unclear and Present Danger, hosted with John Ganz, which explores post-Cold War political thrillers from the 1990s. He expressed his affinity towards The Hunt for Red October and Crimson Tide, joking that “movies are better on a sub.”

Beyond blockbuster appeal, Bouie explained that he’s drawn to the former film’s exploration of the balance of duty against morals, which he sees as relevant to today’s political climate.

Bouie explained that he tries to choose his writing topics with a sense toward duty, comparing the process to eating candy versus a full meal. While there are subjects he could write about that could potentially garner lots of clicks, he prefers to explore subjects with more substance. “What would be good for people to sit down and read?” he mused.