And it is decidedly less triumphant – unless of course, you happen to be a franchise owner.

Today, when we march through arches, it is a celebration of globalization, efficiency and Shamrock Shakes. When the ancient Romans marched through arches, it was a celebration of victory, an end to long-fought battles and distant travels. (image: Alan Hess via Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians) She is a native of Chicago.The second McDonald’s ever built and the oldest still standing, in Downey, CA. in American civilization from Brown University. Ignatius College Prep at the University of Missouri-Columbia and her master’s and Ph.D. She received her bachelor’s in journalism and religious studies from St. She has received numerous honors and most recently was named a 2019 Andrew Carnegie fellow. ‘Franchise’ tells a troubling success story of an industry that blossomed the very moment a freedom movement began to wither.”Ĭhatelain is also the author of “South Side Girls: Growing up in the Great Migration” (Duke University Press, 2015). “With the discourse of social welfare all but evaporated, federal programs under Presidents Johnson and Nixon promoted a new vision for racial justice: that the franchising of fast-food restaurants by Black citizens in their own neighborhoods could improve the quality of Black life. But how did fast-food restaurants so thoroughly saturate Black neighborhoods in the first place? ‘Franchise’ uncovers a surprising history of cooperation among fast-food companies, Black capitalists and civil rights leaders, who, in the troubled years after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., believed they found an economic answer to the problem of racial inequality. “Often blamed for the rising rates of obesity and diabetes among Black Americans, fast-food restaurants like McDonald’s have long symbolized capitalism’s villainous effects on our nation’s most vulnerable communities. “Franchise: The Golden Arches in Black America” (Liveright, 2020) tells the story of how fast food became one of the greatest generators of Black wealth in America. The event will be free and open to the public, but registration is required. Marcia Chatelain, Ph.D., a professor of history and African American studies at Georgetown University and author of the new book, “ Franchise: The Golden Arches in Black America,” will deliver VCU Libraries’ 20th annual Black History Lecture.Ĭhatelain will discuss her book and participate in an audience Q&A in a virtual event at 7 p.m.

The golden arches in black america