The Hairstons: An American Family in Black and White

Henry Wiencek (born 1952) is an American historian, journalist, and author best known for his works on American history, slavery, and architecture, including the award-winning The Hairstons: An American Family in Black and White (1999, National Book Critics Circle Award for Biography) and An Imperfect God: George Washington, His Slaves, and the Creation of America (2003, Los Angeles Times Book Prize for History). Raised in Dorchester, Massachusetts, he graduated as valedictorian from Boston College High School and earned a degree from Yale University in 1974, later authoring recent books like Stan and Gus (2025).