Available to book
Daina Ramey Berry
Diversity and Inclusion
Gender Equality
Economics
Dr. Daina Ramey Berry helps organizations understand the history of slavery, Black women's history, and reparations through rigorous scholarship. An award-winning historian and Congressional witness, she brings historical clarity to today's conversations about race and equity.
Black History Month
Juneteenth
Academic
MLK Day
Inclusion
Women's History Month
Dr. Daina Ramey Berry is an American historian and self-described scholar of the enslaved, recognized internationally for her work on gender, slavery, and Black women's history in the United States.
She is the Michael Douglas Dean of Humanities and Fine Arts at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the award-winning author or editor of eleven books, including The Price for Their Pound of Flesh and A Black Women's History of the United States, co-authored with Kali Nicole Gross.
Daina has testified before the US House Financial Services Committee on the history of slavery and before the California Reparations Task Force, and appeared in Hulu's documentary The 1619 Project. Her research equips organizations to address the legacies of slavery and racial inequity with historical accuracy, helping teams and institutions engage difficult histories through evidence rather than assumption.
Audiences leave with a clearer understanding of the economic history of slavery, the overlooked contributions of Black women to American history, and the ongoing relevance of Juneteenth and reparations debates. Her TEDEd talk on Sojourner Truth and frequent media commentary bring these histories to a wide public.
Book Daina to bring rigorous, deeply researched historical context to conversations about race, equity, and America's past.
Topics, sessions and talks
In her keynote, Daina Ramey Berry aims to empower African American women and educate their allies on the resilience and community-building of Black women. By examining the history of Black womanhood from the first African women in America to contemporary figures, Berry highlights the unique strength of Black women in combating systemic racism and sexism. Her talk will explore diverse voices, from enslaved women and activists to artists and queer women, revealing the complex and rich narratives of Black women's lives. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the beauty, strength, and enduring spirit of Black women throughout U.S. history.
Dr. Daina Ramey Berry delves into the commodification of enslaved people in her groundbreaking work, The Price for Their Pound of Flesh. She explores the economic value assigned to slaves throughout their lives, from preconception to death, and reveals the lengths to which enslavers would go to maximize profits. Attendees will learn about the "ghost values" placed on deceased slaves, the domestic cadaver trade, and how enslaved people perceived their valuation. This speech offers a profound, humane perspective on the inhumane institution of slavery, reshaping our understanding of its impact on history and society.
Daina Ramey Berry is the Michael Douglas Dean of Humanities and Fine Arts at UC Santa Barbara and an award-winning historian of slavery and Black women's history who has testified before the US House Financial Services Committee. Her scholarship gives audiences grounded context for discussions of race, equity, and reparations.
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frequently asked questions
Something we've not covered here?
Email daina.ramey.berry@getapeptalk.com or call PepTalk on +44 20 3835 2929 (UK) or +1 737 888 5112 (US), and one of our speaker agents will contact you within hours to confirm Dr. Daina's availability and fees. If you can, please include your budget upfront – it helps us fast-track your request. It’s also helpful to know the date, format (virtual or in-person), location, and a bit about your audience.
Daina Ramey Berry draws on primary historical research and her own published scholarship to structure her keynotes, grounding arguments in documented economic data, archival records, and the testimonies of enslaved people themselves.
Dr. Daina Ramey Berry speaks on the history of Black womanhood, the commodification of enslaved people, and the economic structures underpinning American slavery. She is the Michael Douglas Dean of Humanities and Fine Arts at the University of California, Santa Barbara, the author of eleven books including The Price for Their Pound of Flesh, and has testified before the US House Financial Services Committee on the history of slavery.
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