Colson Whitehead (born in 1969) is an American author known for innovative novels that explore social themes, including racism, while often incorporating fantastical elements. He is the first writer to win a Pulitzer Prize for consecutive books: the historical novels The Underground Railroad (2016) and The Nickel Boys (2019).
Whitehead’s other works include the nonfiction book The Noble Hustle: Poker, Beef Jerky, and Death (2014) and the Harlem Trilogy novels: Harlem Shuffle (2021), Crook Manifesto (2023), and Cool Machine (2026).