Book cover titled "Black Out" with black and white photos of diverse Black individuals in various poses and expressions, with the subtitle "The Revolutionary History of Black Comedy from Vaudeville to ’90s Sitcoms" and the author "Geoff Bennett".

A NATIONAL BESTSELLER!

Geoff Bennett in a blue suit and light blue shirt standing in front of a background with overlapping colored rectangles in red, green, yellow, and teal.

From vaudeville to the golden age of ’90s Black sitcoms — a story of resilience and reinvention, told through the legends who made America laugh.

AMAZON #1 NEW RELEASE!

USA TODAY BESTSELLER!

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BESTSELLER!

#2 BLK NONFICTION BESTSELLER!

AMAZON EDITORS’ PICK!

ORDER YOUR COPY

AMAZON

TARGET

BARNES AND NOBLE

BOOKS-A-MILLION

INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORES

BOOKSHOP

WALMART

Geoff Bennett in a black suit sitting at a table inside a dimly lit room with a large screen showing Earth from space in the background. On the table is a colorful book titled 'BLACK OUT LOUD' by Geoff Bennett, and a small golden lamp.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Geoff Bennett is the co-anchor and co-managing editor of the PBS NewsHour. A Peabody Award-winning journalist, he has reported on national politics at the highest levels — covering the White House and six presidential election cycles — while conducting exclusive interviews with cultural icons, world leaders, and groundbreaking artists.

His work bridges politics and culture, offering clear-eyed insight into the forces that shape American life. He lives in the Washington, DC area with his wife and their son.

BOOK TOUR

MARCH 19

Jordan Hernandez

Instagram Live

MARCH 21

A smiling woman with curly hair and a pink flower in her hair, wearing colorful earrings and a vibrant patterned dress, standing next to a smiling man with glasses, a bald head, and a red sweater, against a multicolored background.

Dulcé Sloan and Sam Sanders

Los Angeles, CA

MARCH 25

A smiling man in a dark suit with a purple shirt and tie, posing against a colorful gradient background.

Darryl M. Bell

Washington, DC

MARCH 26

A woman with long black hair, wearing pink lipstick and a floral scarf, and a man with glasses, a brown beanie, and a gray shirt, standing together against a colorful background.

Phoebe Robinson & Jordan Carlos

New York, NY

MARCH 28

A woman with long brown hair smiling and crossing her arms, wearing a dark blue top and jewelry, against a blue-green gradient background.

Yasmin Vossoughian

Philadelphia, PA

MARCH 30

A woman with medium skin tone and shoulder-length twisted hair, smiling, wearing a sleeveless maroon top, against a colorful gradient background.

POSTPONED: Blayne Alexander

Atlanta, GA

APRIL 13

A smiling man wearing a blue suit and light blue checkered shirt, with a colorful gradient background.

USC Lecture

Los Angeles, CA

APRIL 18

Book titled 'Black Out Loud' featuring a colorful grid with black and white photos of Black comedians and actors, and a subtitle that reads 'The Revolutionary History of Black Comedy from Vaudeville to '90s Sitcoms' by Geoff Bennett.

Stories & Signing

Baltimore, MD

SEPTEMBER 10

Book cover titled 'Black Out Loud' with colorful blocks, featuring black and white photos of Black comedians and a subtitle 'The Revolutionary History of Black Comedy from Vaudeville to '90s Sitcoms,' by Geoff Bennett.

Stories & Signing

Cambridge, MA

OCTOBER 8

George Mason University

Fairfax, VA

Martha's Vineyard Black Book Festival - August 15, 2026

National Book Festival - August 22, 2026

Printers Row Lit Fest - September 12-13, 2006

Rancho Mirage Writers Festival - February 3-5, 2027

BOOK FESTIVALS

REVIEWS

EDDIE S. GLAUDE, JR.

What a wonderful book to read in these difficult days. Bennett takes us to the well of Black humor revealing its political, moral, and existential power.

GOOD READS

Bennett writes with the confidence of a journalist and the heart of a fan. The result is hilarious, enlightening, and essential.

KIRKUS REVIEWS

An insightful celebration of comedy stars that makes for good times.

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

A valuable primer on Black comedy and a perceptive view of Black comics as 'keen observers' of a culture that marginalizes them.

FOR THE CLASSROOM

Student seated in a classroom raises their hand to participate, while other students sit at desks and the teacher stands at the front of the room.

The book lends itself to courses across disciplines — journalism, African American studies, political science, media studies, history, and the humanities broadly.

Instructors will find it useful as a primary text, a supplementary read, or a jumping-off point for seminar discussion.

DOWNLOAD CURRICULUM