The American Conservative is proud to host J.D. Vance, author of the New York Times bestseller Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of A Family and Culture in Crisis, as the featured speaker at our annual gala in Washington, D.C., on May 9.

Vance burst on the literary scene in 2016 with his childhood memoirs, an unvarnished look at the social and economic struggles of life in the Kentucky “holler” of his ancestors and the post-industrial realities of  Middleton, Ohio, where many Appalachian families like his own had settled for work after WWII. Vance navigated a life pockmarked by alcoholism, domestic violence, and poverty—but he transcended, graduating from Yale University and succeeding as a venture capitalist. His story seeks to define and scrutinize the dismal cycle of his people, while casting light on an underclass often stereotyped or worse, ignored, by the outside.

TAC will also celebrate our publisher Jon Basil Utley and his remarkable contributions to the conservative movement with our inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award. New York Times bestselling author Ross Douthat will also be honored with The Conservative Mind Award, presented by Annette Kirk, the wife of Russell Kirk, the award’s namesake.

We still have a limited number of sponsorship opportunities available, and through the generosity of Richard C. and Deborah L. Young of Young Research and Publishing, Inc., all contributions between now and May 9^th, including tickets and gifts towards our gala, will be matched up to $50,000. To purchase your ticket or learn more, please visit our website here.

Your support is vital as we build a coalition to advance a “Main Street” conservatism that embraces realism and restraint abroad and promotes the flourishing of families and communities at home.

We look forward to seeing you on May 9 at The Mayflower!