Lewis Black ’70
Lewis Black is an Emmy and Grammy award-winning comedian, actor, author and playwright who performed his first stand-up routine at the Cat’s Cradle while a dramatic art student at Carolina in the late 1960s. In an arts career spanning more than 40 years, he has nimbly moved from medium to medium, sharing his incisive observations and commentary to critical acclaim.
Black’s achievements include winning Best Male Stand-Up at the 2001 American Comedy Awards and headlining “Back in Black,” a popular and long-running segment of The Daily Show. He is also the author of three bestselling and critically acclaimed books, and he was the voice of Anger in the Academy Award-winning films Inside Out and Inside Out 2.
Contrary to his loud and opinionated stage persona, Black’s offstage demeanor has been described as quiet, humble, generous of spirit and slightly impish. While he is best known for his achievements in comedy, Black has also done considerable charitable work. Among other contributions, he has served as chairman of the board for the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library and has worked for years with the 52nd St. Project. He has also been active with the Michael J. Fox Foundation, Luv u Project and National Comedy Center in Jamestown, New York. He was also a performer on three USO Christmas tours during the Iraq war.
A stalwart supporter of his alma mater, Black collaborated with students on an annual Carolina Comedy Festival for several years, providing workshops and lectures for budding comics, writers and performers. He has donated his archives to UNC Libraries, sharing a treasure trove that faculty have incorporated into a variety of classroom activities and projects.
Black is a natural educator whose considerable charitable work and tireless commitment to education, the arts and public health reflect an unwavering dedication to the principles that underlie the mission of the nation’s first public university.
