Finding Home: A Memoir
by Denise Nicholas

A poignant, beautifully composed memoir from acclaimed novelist and actor Denise Nicholas that offers an intimate exploration of her multifaceted life, delving deeply into themes of artistic self-invention, race, family, and overcoming grief.

Growing up as a middle-class Black girl in 1950s Detroit, Denise Nicholas experienced the vibrant culture and harsh realities of a racially segregated city, which profoundly influenced her perspective on identity. Barely twenty, she dropped out of the University of Michigan to tour the Deep South with the Free Southern Theater at the height of the Civil Rights Movement, a path that ultimately ignited her lifelong commitment to social justice and activism. A few short years later she would gain national fame as a series lead on the groundbreaking ABC-television show Room 222.

With rare eloquence, vulnerability, and resolve, Nicholas mines her six-decade journey through television and film stardom and her three marriages, reflecting on the personal, professional, and societal pressures that influenced both her work and her closest relationships. Nicholas explores the ways her experiences in Hollywood shaped her understanding of success, intimacy, and commitment. Her narrative is rich with anecdotes from her career as an actor and writer, providing a backdrop to the struggles, losses, and achievements that marked her path. She candidly discusses the challenges she faced as a trailblazing actress of color, shedding welcome light on the systemic barriers and biases within the entertainment industry.

At its deepest level, this memoir is a heartfelt exploration of grief, as Nicholas recounts the profound losses—including the unsolved targeted slaying of her sister, the telling of which occupies the center of her story—that have shaped her. Her reflections on mourning and resilience paint a vivid, moving portrait of how to journey through healing to new dimensions of self-discovery. Through her powerful, stylish, and profoundly evocative storytelling, Nicholas not only chronicles her own remarkable life but also provides a resonant narrative of what it means to live, work, and succeed as a Black woman in America over the past half-century.

James McBride has noted, “This stirring memoir proves that Nicholas, a pioneer Black actress, is also a writer of deep talent and understated eloquence. … A distinct American voice. Her inspiring story is written with deep humility and refreshing honesty.”

Tayari Jones just said, “Finding Home is a beautiful, breathtaking work of art, and bound to be a bestseller.”