Leaving on a Jet Plane

The last of three chapters on the power of chocolate cities, this chapter centers the lives, activism, and pioneering efforts of Mos Def (a.k.a. Yasiin Bey) and W. E. B. Du Bois. Exploring their lives, legal setbacks, and push against global imperialism and racial oppression, the authors highlight their sophisticated and politically informed racial geography of the United States. Detailing the movement of black people throughout the domestic diaspora and into and throughout Africa, this chapter illustrates the how place, race, peace politics, and power collide in the lives of black people here, there, and everywhere around the globe.

The Blacker the Village, the Sweeter the Juice

Using the life and times of pioneering antilynching activist and sociologist Ida B. Wells, this chapter begins the exploration of chocolate cities as black villages. One of the defining attributes, the village illustrates how a critical mass of black people living, working, and striving alongside one another creates ripples that affect the politics and movement of black people near and far.

How Brenda’s Baby Got California Love

Centering the lives, music, and experiences of Tupac Shakur and his mother, Afeni Shakur, this chapter explores the migration stories of black people across the Black Map through the lens of hip hop music, the Black Panther Party, the Up South, Out South, and West South. Emphasizing the importance of cultural production and black music, the authors highlight the role of race, place, police brutality, and gender in black life and politics. Focused on the connections across space and time, this chapter demonstrates the key role black power politics, police brutality, and hip hop in the politics and migrations of black people throughout the chocolate cities.

The Two Ms. Johnsons

Centering the lives, experiences, and murders of transwomen activists Marsha P. Johnson and Duanna Johnson, this chapter explores the migration stories of black women across the Black Map. Emphasizing the importance of intersectionality, the authors highlight the role of race, gender violence, and homophobia in black life and politics. Focused on the connections across space and time, this chapter demonstrates the key role transwomen and women of color play in the politics and migrations of black people throughout the chocolate cities.

Seeing like a Chocolate City

This concluding chapter revisits the book's major themes and arguments. Using a variety of examples drawn from local, state, and international political episodes, the chapter extends the book’s focus, turning especially toward the global implications of its findings and arguments. Using the frame of chocolate cities, the chapter invokes the global possibilities of seeing the world through the eyes of black people everywhere.

Bounce to the Chocolate City Future

Centering the life, music, and experiences of New Orleans–based bounce music artist Big Freedia, this chapter explores the migration stories of black people across the Black Map through the lens of hip hop music, bounce music, gender-nonconforming peoples, Hurricane Katrina, Down South, and the Deep South. Emphasizing the importance of cultural production and black music, the authors highlight the role of race, place, music, forced migration, gender, and sexual orientation in black life and politics. Focused on the connections across space and time, this chapter demonstrates the key role black power politics, natural disasters, sexuality, and regional sounds in the politics and migrations of black people throughout the chocolate cities.

Super Lou’s Chitlin’ Circuit

This chapter begins using an intimate moment from a 1966 concert by musician Lou Rawls. Detailing the shared experiences and connections across black communities, this chapter uses Rawls’s insight to outline the six major regions of the South. This chapter completes the geographic and political sensibilities that help form the Black Map and the various regions therein. It concludes with an overview of the three-part treatment of “chocolate cities”.

Mary, Dionne, and Alma

The second of three chapters on the power of chocolate cities, this chapter centers the lives, activism, and pioneering efforts of three black women professionals, entertainers, and community activists: Mary Hill Sanders, Dionne Warwick, and Alma Burrell. Exploring their lives, health setbacks, and push against the glass ceiling and racial oppression, the authors highlight their sophisticated and politically informed racial geography of the United States. Detailing the movement of black people throughout the domestic diaspora, this chapter illustrates the how gender, place, race, and power collided in the lives of black people before and after the civil rights movement.

The House That Jane Built

The first of three chapters on the power of chocolate cities, this chapter centers the life, activism, and pioneering efforts of abolitionist and black woman lawyer Mary Ann Shadd Cary. Exploring her migrations above and below the Canadian border, the authors highlight her sophisticated and politically informed racial geography of the United States. Detailing the movement of black people throughout the domestic diaspora, this chapter illustrates the how gender, place, race, and power collided in the lives of black people before and after the Emancipation Proclamation.

When and Where the Spirit Moves You

Centering the life, music, and experiences of Aretha Franklin, this chapter explores the migration stories of black women across the Black Map through the lens of soul music, the Mid-South, and during the civil rights movement. Emphasizing the importance of intersectionality, the authors highlight the role of race, place, and gender in black life and politics. Focused on the connections across space and time, this chapter demonstrates the key role black music and women of color play in the politics and migrations of black people throughout the chocolate cities.