Salamishah Tillet

Salamishah Tillet is the Henry Rutgers Professor of African American Studies & Creative Writing at Rutgers University-Newark. Her research centers on American Studies, 20th and 21st century African American literature, film, popular music, cultural studies and feminist theory.

She’s also a contributing critic for The New York Times; it’s in that capacity that Tillet took home the Pulitzer Prize in 2022 “for learned and stylish writing about Black stories in art and popular culture–work that successfully bridges academic and nonacademic critical discourse.” Tillet’s work at the intersection of the arts and scholarship is also on display at Express Newark, where she serves as a director and founding faculty director for the New Arts Justice Initiative.

When Audible launched its Newark Artist Collaboration in 2021, Tillet was among the jurors who helped to choose the 18 artists that would take part in the first phase of the initiative. And, Express Newark was one of the local organizations that advised on and supported the development. The artworks and installations made their debuts throughout downtown and at Audible’s renovated HQ this past May.