CNN Anchor Don Lemon to Detail Childhood Sexual Abuse in Poignant Memoir

Last year, CNN news anchor Don Lemon made headlines when he revealed to the world that he, like countless men and women, endured childhood sexual abuse.

Now, the 44-year-old multiple Emmy-winning journalist has penned a poignant memoir, aptly titled 'Transparent,' which candidly details the painful abuse he endured in childhood.

Scheduled for release in June via Farrah Gray Publishing, 'Transparent' explores the long-lasting trauma abused children experience -- from feeling "different" from other children to self-isolation to the impact that abuse has on relationships. Lemon speaks to all this as well as the colorism and racism that he has experienced.

Through compelling narrative, Lemon digs deep to expose his painful past and explains how those early experiences shaped the man he is today -- one of the most prominent African American men in television news.

"To me, Don Lemon has written one of the most courageously and shockingly honest memoirs ever," Dr. Farrah Gray, the book's publisher, told BlackVoices.com today. "His heartfelt candor makes this book like no other. 'Transparent' is a searingly candid memoir that celebrates the virtues of hard work, perseverance and determination. Readers will view daily life in a new light that enables them to overcome any obstacle with no fear."

Lemon's memoir also brings the reader behind the scenes of such tragedies as the September 11 attacks in 2001 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005, as well as the monumental election of President Barack Obama. Readers get more than a glimpse into Lemon's personal experiences with Barack and Michelle Obama prior to the presidential campaign and his conversations with the Jackson family following the death of Michael Jackson.

Born in Baton Rouge, La., Lemon, who has a degree in broadcast journalism from Brooklyn College, has accumulated numerous awards, including Emmys and the Edward R. Murrow Award for his work on the Washington, D.C., snipers case. In 2006, Lemon joined CNN and in that same year was named as one of the most influential blacks in America by Ebony magazine.

Aiming to be an inspirational endeavor, 'Transparent' speaks to the fact that there is light at the end of the tunnel no matter what one endures.

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