Jenna Bush Hager is hosting a salute to author Toni Morrison.
On Dec. 21, "TODAY All Day Presents: A Celebration of Toni Morrison" will honor the 50th anniversary of the late Nobel Prize winner's debut novel, "The Bluest Eye."
The "TODAY with Hoda & Jenna" co-host chose the novel for her December "Read with Jenna" book club pick. She revealed in a recent essay for TODAY.com that she was so captivated by the book in high school, she couldn't put it down.
"The Bluest Eye" tells the story of Pecola, a young Black girl who grows up during the years following the Great Depression. Pecola believes her dark skin makes her ugly and dreams of one day having the blue eyes she equates with "whiteness" and beauty.
Joining her in the hourlong special are global media leader Oprah Winfrey, Well-Read Black Girl founder Glory Edim, "Patsy" novelist Nicole Dennis-Benn, who was previously featured in the "Read with Jenna" book club, and Kessina Cheriza a high school teacher who assigns "The Bluest Eye" as a must-read for her students every year.
Catch "TODAY All Day Presents: A Celebration of Toni Morrison" at 11 a.m. on Dec. 21. The special will stream on TODAY All Day, the morning show’s new 24/7 streaming channel on Peacock, TODAY.com, Roku and Xumo.