The Ladies Hall: Book Signing & Author Talk with Vanessa Miller

The Ladies Hall: Book Signing & Author Talk with Vanessa Miller

In Conversation with Catherine Adel West

Join Da Book Joint for an afternoon with USA Today bestselling author, playwright, and motivational speaker Vanessa Miller as we celebrate her powerful new historical novel, The Ladies Hall.

Set in 1880s Ohio, The Ladies Hall brings to life the remarkable stories of Mary Church Terrell, Anna Julia Cooper, and Ida Gibbs Hunt—three Black women whose brilliance, ambition, and determination helped shape the fight for equality and educational opportunity.

At Oberlin College, Mary and Anna enter a world that was technically open to them, but far from welcoming. Coming from vastly different backgrounds, the two women must navigate racism, sexism, resistance, and the expectations placed upon them as Black women pursuing higher education. As they push through those barriers, they discover the power of solidarity and the importance of building a legacy that reaches far beyond themselves.

Inspired by the real lives of extraordinary women, The Ladies Hall is a story about education, friendship, resilience, Black excellence, and the collective power of women determined to change history.

MEET VANESSA MILLER

Vanessa Miller is a USA Today bestselling author, playwright, and motivational speaker whose writing centers on themes of redemption and the stories of strong Black women navigating pivotal moments in history.

Her novel The American Queen won the prestigious Christy Award, Audie Award, and 2024 American Fiction Award for Historical Fiction, and was selected as a North Carolina Reads pick for 2025. Her novel The Filling Station received starred reviews from Library Journal and Booklist and became a USA Today bestseller.

Miller's novels have appeared on Essence Magazine's bestseller list and have received numerous honors, including the Best Christian Fiction Mahogany Award and the Red Rose Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction. Her work has also been featured by outlets including Good Morning America, The Washington Post, and Essence.

A lifelong writer, Miller began writing as a child and has since published novels across multiple genres while also working as a playwright and motivational speaker. She holds a degree in Organizational Communication from Capital University and is an ordained minister.

THE CONVERSATION

Vanessa Miller will join us for an engaging author talk and conversation about The Ladies Hall, the remarkable women who inspired the novel, the research behind their stories, and the enduring questions of race, gender, education, equality, allyship, and the personal cost of progress.

Catherine Adel West was born and raised in Chicago, where she currently resides. She graduated with both her Bachelors and Masters of Science in Journalism from the University of Illinois - Urbana. Author of Saving Ruby King and The Two Lives of Sara, Catherine was named one of USA Today's Black Authors You Should Know.

Whether you've already read The Ladies Hall, are looking for your next book club pick, or simply love stories about the extraordinary people who helped shape our history, this is an afternoon you won't want to miss.

TICKET OPTIONS

$19 — Signed Paperback Ticket
Includes:

• General admission
• One signed paperback copy of The Ladies Hall

$33 — Signed Hardcover Ticket
Includes:

• General admission
• One hardcover copy of The Ladies Hall

$5 — General Admission
Includes entry to the event. Your $5 admission may also be applied toward a purchase at Da Book Joint.

Saturday, September 12, 2026
4:00–6:00 PM
Da Book Joint
6900 S. Stony Island Ave.
Chicago, IL 60649

Come for the story. Stay for the conversation. Leave inspired by the women who helped change history.

Space is limited, so secure your ticket and join us for an afternoon celebrating Vanessa Miller, The Ladies Hall, and the extraordinary Black women whose stories remind us that progress has always required courage, community, and a willingness to rise together.