The National Book Foundation is celebrating its next milestone with the help of special guests Kate McKinnon and Jon Batiste.
PEOPLE can exclusively reveal that the 75th National Book Awards Ceremony & Benefit Dinner, taking place on Wednesday, Nov. 20, at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City, will be hosted by McKinnon and feature a musical performance from Batiste.
It is a landmark event for the foundation, commemorating “75 years of honoring the best literature published in the United States,” says David Steinberger, chair of the Board of Directors of the National Book Foundation, in a statement.
“Kate McKinnon and Jon Batiste are two singular artists, writers and performers, who have offered audiences around the world opportunities to listen, to laugh and to learn,” continues Steinberger. “We couldn’t be more proud to join them in celebrating the power of exceptional books at this year’s awards ceremony and benefit dinner.”
David Needleman
The annual event will recognize the best works in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, translated literature, young people’s literature, and lifetime achievement award honorees — something that Batiste is honored to be a part of.
“Books are sacred sources of refuge, insight and humanity, shaping the world as we know it. I am excited to take part in recognizing world-class artistry, creativity and the power of prose,” he said in a statement shared with PEOPLE.
Alexandra Carillo-Vaccino
McKinnon, whose first book, The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science, hit bookshelves earlier this month, shares similar sentiments, expressing in a statement shared with PEOPLE that she is honored to celebrate “the life-changing power of books while recognizing some of today’s most brilliant storytellers.”
“I was lucky to grow up surrounded by books, devouring everything from Pippi Longstocking to a comprehensive manual on proper iguana care, and this access to stories and perspectives helped shape my worldview and understanding of what was possible,” she continues. “The National Book Foundation is working to ensure everyone’s access to books, and I am proud to support that mission.”
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For more information about the 75th National Book Awards Ceremony & Benefit Dinner and to register to watch the online broadcast, visit the National Book Awards.
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