author
Defender
A journalist, publisher, and teacher, he writes narrative nonfiction that connects big historical forces to vivid human stories. His work is especially interested in race, politics, and the way institutions shape everyday life.
1 Audiobook
Sir Charles Warren and Spion Kop: A Vindication
by Defender
About the author
Based in Chicago, Ethan Michaeli is an award-winning author, journalist, and university lecturer. His book The Defender: How the Legendary Black Newspaper Changed America explores the history and influence of the Chicago Defender, and his later book Twelve Tribes: Promise and Peril in the New Israel continues his focus on deeply reported, socially engaged nonfiction.
Michaeli has worked as a reporter and editor, including at the Chicago Defender, and his background in journalism shows in his clear, story-driven approach. He has also taught at the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago and served as a senior adviser for communications and development at the Goldin Institute.
His writing is known for blending historical research with a strong feel for people, place, and public life. That mix makes his books accessible to general readers while still offering the depth and context of serious long-form reporting.