In this ‘vital book for these times’ (Kirkus Reviews), Don Lemon brings his vast audience and experience as a reporter and a Black man to today’s most urgent question: How can we end racism in America in our lifetimes? The host of CNN Tonight with Don Lemon is more popular than ever. As America’s only Black prime-time anchor, Lemon and his daily monologues on racism and antiracism, on the failures of the Trump administration and of so many of our leaders, and on America’s systemic flaws speak for his millions of fans. Now, in an urgent, deeply personal, riveting plea, he shows us all how deep our problems lie, and what we can do to begin to fix them. Beginning with a letter to one of his Black nephews, he proceeds with reporting and reflections on his slave ancestors, his upbringing in the shadows of segregation, and his adult confrontations with politicians, activists, and scholars. In doing so, Lemon offers a searing and poetic ultimatum to America. He visits the slave port where a direct ancestor was shackled and shipped to America. He recalls a slave uprising in Louisiana, just a few miles from his birthplace. And he takes us to the heart of the 2020 protests in New York City. As he writes to his young nephew: We must resist racism every single day. We must resist it with love.

CNN host Don Lemon’s poignant and inspiring story of hitting rock-bottom in the wake of the 2016 election and his 100-day journey towards self-improvement—a powerful call to reconnect and stay true to your purpose in turbulent times. “I woke up with a strange kind of hangover on November 9, 2016, not just because of the cocktails the night before, but because the full effect of 18 months of spin, semi-truths, prevarication, and talking points had finally caught up with me. Worse, I knew that I’d been an active participant in the maelstrom and I had a terrible feeling that I’d played my part in adding to the noise, rather than subtracting from it.” —Don Lemon In the days after Donald Trump was elected, Don Lemon was in a dark place. After leaving the CNN studio where he hosts his nightly show, he would over-eat, drink too much, and end the night replaying the disturbing events of the day in his head. Trying to keep pace with the relentless news cycle and to remain rational and committed to the facts despite vitriolic attacks from the new president and his staff, Don was growing increasingly disconnected from the world, his family, his soul, and his spirit. Eventually, the seasoned journalist realized that, while he could not change external circumstances, there were smaller forces in his life—online distraction, emotional isolation, and his physical and intellectual habits—that he could control. Embracing his favorite James Baldwin quote: “The very time I thought I was lost, my dungeon shook and my chains fell off,” Don resolved to tune out the chaos, and return to his true purpose and values. The Hundred is the story of Don’s change from within: how he cultivated a calmer, more focused, and better life than he considered possible. While the media obsessed over Trump’s first 100 days in office, Don used that time to focus on improving himself. Sharing his insights and lessons, he offers a crash course for navigating life in uncertain times, fighting for what you believe in, channeling your emotions into positive change, and activating your survivor’s DNA.