Five years ago, on this day, I won the National Book Award for Nonfiction for my second book, Stamped from the Beginning. It was a surreal night as I didn't expect to win. #NBAwards 1/5
.@TheRealDrKendi urged me before we left for the ceremony to jot down some notes for a short speech in case I won. I resisted and then obliged. And, of course, Sadiqa turned out to be right. 2/5
But the highlight of my night wasn't winning. It was witnessing the conscience of the United States Congress, John Lewis, win for his graphic novel, March: Book Three. 3/5
It was listening to him reflect on his life course of being turned away from a segregated library as a boy to now winning a National Book Award. "It's too much," I remember him saying, as he held back his tears, as few of us in the audience could hold back our tears. 4/5
After the ceremony, I chatted with Congressman Lewis and the great quarterback of the evening, @likaluca. It was a night. And tomorrow night, the National Book Awards will award a new round of winners. Congratulations to all the finalists! #NBAwards 5/5
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