Lawrence Ross

Lawrence Ross

Lawrence Ross is a renowned American author and public speaker best known for his insightful
writings on race, culture, and education. He was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. He
attended the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of California, Los Angeles,
where he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

Ross is most recognized for his seminal works, “The Divine Nine: The History of African
American Fraternities and Sororities” and “Blackballed: The Black and White Politics of Race on
America’s Campuses.” The former, published in 2000, is a comprehensive historical account of
African American Greek organizations, also known as the National Pan-Hellenic Council
(NPHC). The latter, published in 2016, examines the complexities of race relations on college
campuses and the experiences of black students in predominantly white institutions.

Ross’s work has been featured in various publications, including The Root, Huffington Post, and
The Chronicle of Higher Education. He has also appeared on several national news programs,
such as CNN, MSNBC, and NPR. In addition to his writing and media appearances, Ross is a
sought-after speaker on race, diversity, and inclusion topics. He has lectured at over 1000
colleges and universities and has keynoted at major conferences.

Ross has film and television projects in development with Will Packer Productions, Michael
Strahan and Connie Schwartz’s SMAC-Entertainment, and Roundtable Productions. He’s also a
partner at the Metaphor Club, a Black-owned creative co-working space for writers and
filmmakers, where he teaches introduction and advanced screenwriting.

Ross owns 365ALLY.com, an online marketplace that features Black, Latinx, AAPI, Indigenous,
disabled, women, and LGBTQ-owned vendors. 365ALLY.com shrinks access and privilege for
these vendors by having organizations and corporations intentionally purchase from 365ALLY
vendors.

Ross lives in Los Angeles with his wife, April.