At a glance
Color Me Dark: The Diary of Nellie Lee Love, the Great Migration North, Chicago, Illinois, 1919
Children's fiction
Color Me Dark: The Diary of Nellie Lee Love, the Great Migration North, Chicago, Illinois, 1919
218 pages · First published 2000
Nellie Lee Love and her African American family leave Tennessee for Chicago in 1919 as part of the Great Migration. Her diary records the excitement of new possibilities alongside segregation, racism, crowded housing, and the difficulty of leaving relatives and familiar Southern life behind. The Chicago Race Riot of 1919 reveals that moving north does not mean escaping racial violence. Patricia C. McKissack’s Dear America novel presents the Great Migration through a young girl’s family story, emphasizing aspiration, identity, and the courage required to seek a better life in a country still structured by discrimination.
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No surprises at chapter twelve
Content notes
Racism and discrimination · Violence, weapons, and peril
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North Pole Peppermint Cocoa
Velvety chocolate suits a lively, lighthearted reading mood.
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Dark Lady Blackberry Fizz
For adults of legal drinking age. Please drink responsibly.
A crisp botanical pour suits a lively, lighthearted reading mood.
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- Shake gin, blackberry syrup, and lemon juice with ice. Strain over fresh ice and top with sparkling water.
- Garnish: Blackberry and lemon wheel.
- Glassware: Highball glass.
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