Chocolate City speech

Last updated
C. Ray Nagin, Jr. 2006 photo Nagin2June2006.png
C. Ray Nagin, Jr.
2006 photo

The Chocolate City speech is the nickname that some people have given to the Martin Luther King Jr. Day speech by Ray Nagin, Mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana, on January 16, 2006. The speech concerned race politics in New Orleans several months after Hurricane Katrina destroyed much of the city. The reference is to the occurrence of the phrase chocolate city in Nagin's speech, which was one of several points in the speech that occasioned significant controversy and raised accusations of racism against Mr. Nagin.

Contents

History of the phrase

In African American culture, the term chocolate city refers to a city with a predominantly African American population and/or African American political leadership. The concept originated with radio DJs in Washington D.C. in the early 1970s, [1] and was popularized by the band Parliament, who released the album Chocolate City in 1975. The term has been used by scholar Cornel West in his 1993 book Race Matters [2] and by comedian Chris Rock. [3]

In an interview with Public Radio International's Tavis Smiley (originally broadcast on January 13, 2006) [4] Nagin used the phrase "chocolate city" in reference to New Orleans' future demographics, a term that would become troublesome for him just a few days later.

Context

See also Effects of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans

At the end of August, 2005, New Orleans had been hit by Hurricane Katrina, and catastrophic failures of the city's Federal levees flooded the majority of the city. Only a small portion of the city's evacuated population had returned by January. Some commentators were suggesting that the city's demographics would change from majority African American to majority Caucasian.

This speech put the post-Hurricane Katrina recovery process of New Orleans in the context of the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Nagin's speech reflected on the problems of violence and crime in pre- and post-Katrina New Orleans. He also referred to the humanitarian plight of the largely African-American hurricane victims in the Louisiana Superdome and Morial Convention Center.

The speech

At a Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration at City Hall New Orleans on January 16, 2006, the mayor gave a speech.

Nagin began the speech invoking spirits of Peace, Love, and Unity. He then described a talk he had with Martin Luther King Jr. earlier that morning (as King was long dead, this was presumably a metaphor or rhetorical device). Nagin then described some of the problems and suffering New Orleans had been experiencing since the hurricane, with the repeated refrain that Dr. King says "I wouldn't like that".

Shortly after, Nagin continued, "We as black people, it's time, it's time for us to come together. It's time for us to rebuild a New Orleans, the one that should be a chocolate New Orleans. And I don't care what people are saying Uptown or wherever they are. This city will be chocolate at the end of the day."

Nagin also stated that New Orleans "will be a majority African-American city. It's the way God wants it to be." [5] As most New Orleanians knew the city had been majority African American for decades before Katrina, Ned Sublette of The Nation found the implication of Nagin claiming to know God's will more troubling than the suggested return of pre-Katrina demographics. [6]

In the same speech, Nagin further stirred controversy by claiming that "God is mad at America. He sent us hurricane after hurricane after hurricane, and it's destroyed and put stress on this country....Surely he doesn't approve of us being in Iraq under false pretenses. But surely he is upset at black America also. We're not taking care of ourselves." Nagin then went on to relate an imagined conversation with the deceased Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. regarding both the response to Katrina and the modern problems of black America which he believes offended God. [7]

Reaction

The speech generated an intense reaction, much of it negative. The "Chocolate City" metaphor was seized on and parodied by commentators, and cartoons depicting Nagin as Willy Wonka appeared in print and on the internet. A Times-Picayune commentator suggested that Nagin had just ruined his own chances at re-election. [8]

Political commentators pointed out that while this might just have been another example of Nagin speaking off the cuff, it would likely hurt his standing among white voters. [9]

Many people believed the word uptown to be a coded reference to wealthy whites, such as those who lived in the old mansions on St. Charles Avenue or around Audubon Park. However, Uptown New Orleans was actually one of the most ethnically and economically diverse sections of the Metro area. Many of Nagin's original supporters lived in Uptown. [10] As Uptown contained the largest section of unflooded high ground in the city's East Bank at the time of the speech, Uptown had the city's largest concentration of locals back in their homes, businesses back open, and displaced New Orleanians from other more severely damaged parts of town living there. Locals protested the Mayor's comment, which some felt suggested he did not care about an important section of his city.

Nagin later attempted to explain away his remarks by offering a more racially inclusive metaphor, saying "How do you make chocolate? You take dark chocolate, you mix it with white milk and it becomes a delicious drink. That's the chocolate I'm talking about." [5]

Nagin said that his remarks were meant to be a call for African Americans to once again return to New Orleans, despite the supposed belief that many of the people in Uptown did not want them back. [11]

The Mayor apologized for the suggestion that people in Uptown were racist, noting the importance of that section of town in the city's recovery. He particularly stated regret for the statements about God. "I don't know what happened there," he said. "I don't know how that got jumbled up. That whole God thing, I don't know how that got mixed up in there." Nagin concluded, "I need to be more aware and sensitive of what I'm saying... Anyone I've offended, I hope you forgive me." [12]

In his speech at the 2006 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, comedian Stephen Colbert mocked Nagin by calling Washington D.C. the "chocolate city with a marshmallow center and a graham cracker crust of corruption."

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Orleans</span> Consolidated city-parish in Louisiana, United States

New Orleans is a consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 according to the 2020 U.S. census, it is the most populous city in Louisiana, third most populous city in the Deep South, and the twelfth-most populous city in the southeastern United States. Serving as a major port, New Orleans is considered an economic and commercial hub for the broader Gulf Coast region of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of New Orleans</span> Aspect of history

The history of New Orleans, Louisiana, traces the city's development from its founding by the French in 1718 through its period of Spanish control, then briefly back to French rule before being acquired by the United States in the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. During the War of 1812, the last major battle was the Battle of New Orleans in 1815. Throughout the 19th century, New Orleans was the largest port in the Southern United States, exporting most of the nation's cotton output and other products to Western Europe and New England. With it being the largest city in the South at the start of the Civil War (1861–1865), it was an early target for capture by Union forces. With its rich and unique cultural and architectural heritage, New Orleans remains a major destination for live music, tourism, conventions, and sporting events and annual Mardi Gras celebrations. After the significant destruction and loss of life resulting from Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the city would bounce back and rebuild in the ensuing years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mitch Landrieu</span> American politician (born 1960)

Mitchell Joseph Landrieu is an American lawyer and politician who served as Mayor of New Orleans from 2010 to 2018. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana from 2004 to 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ray Nagin</span> American politician and businessman

Clarence Raymond Joseph Nagin Jr. is an American former politician who was the 60th Mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana, from 2002 to 2010. A Democrat, Nagin became internationally known in 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Effects of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans</span> Effects of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans

As the center of Hurricane Katrina passed southeast of New Orleans on August 29, 2005, winds downtown were in the Category 1 range with frequent intense gusts. The storm surge caused approximately 23 breaches in the drainage canal and navigational canal levees and flood walls. As mandated in the Flood Control Act of 1965, responsibility for the design and construction of the city's levees belongs to the United States Army Corps of Engineers and responsibility for their maintenance belongs to the Orleans Levee Board. The failures of levees and flood walls during Katrina are considered by experts to be the worst engineering disaster in the history of the United States. By August 31, 2005, 80% of New Orleans was flooded, with some parts under 15 feet (4.6 m) of water. The famous French Quarter and Garden District escaped flooding because those areas are above sea level. The major breaches included the 17th Street Canal levee, the Industrial Canal levee, and the London Avenue Canal flood wall. These breaches caused the majority of the flooding, according to a June 2007 report by the American Society of Civil Engineers. The flood disaster halted oil production and refining which increased oil prices worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hurricane preparedness in New Orleans</span>

Hurricane preparedness in New Orleans has been an issue since the city's early settlement because of its location.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Criticism of the government response to Hurricane Katrina</span>

Criticism of the government response to Hurricane Katrina was a major political dispute in the United States in 2005 that consisted primarily of condemnations of mismanagement and lack of preparation in the relief effort in response to Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. Specifically, there was a delayed response to the flooding of New Orleans, Louisiana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russel L. Honoré</span> US Army General

Russel L. Honoré is a retired lieutenant general who served as the 33rd commanding general of the U.S. First Army at Fort Gillem, Georgia. He is best known for serving as commander of Joint Task Force Katrina responsible for coordinating military relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina–affected areas across the Gulf Coast and as the 2nd Infantry Division's commander while stationed in South Korea. He served until his retirement from the Army on January 11, 2008. Honoré is sometimes known as "The Ragin' Cajun".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reconstruction of New Orleans</span>

The reconstruction of New Orleans refers to the rebuilding process endured by the city of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina destroyed much of the city on August 29, 2005. The storm caused levees to fail, releasing tens of billions of gallons of water. The levee failure contributed to extensive flooding in the New Orleans area and surrounding parishes. About 80% of all structures in Orleans Parish sustained water damage. Over 204,000 homes were damaged or destroyed, and more than 800,000 citizens displaced—the greatest displacement in the United States since the Dust Bowl of the 1930s. Wind damage was less severe than predicted. The damage that took place that needed to be repaired cost about $125 billion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of Hurricane Katrina</span>

This article contains a historical timeline of the events of Hurricane Katrina' on August 23–30, 2005 and its aftermath.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Political effects of Hurricane Katrina</span>

Hurricane Katrina struck the United States on August 29, 2005, causing over a thousand deaths and extreme property damage, particularly in New Orleans. The incident affected numerous areas of governance, including disaster preparedness and environmental policy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Orleans Public Library</span> Public library system in New Orleans, Louisiana

The New Orleans Public Library (NOPL) is the public library service of the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central City, New Orleans</span> New Orleans Neighborhood in Louisiana, United States

Central City is a neighborhood of the city of New Orleans. It is located in the 11th Ward of New Orleans in Uptown, just above the Garden District, on the "lakeside" of St. Charles Avenue. A subdistrict of the Central City/Garden District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City Planning Commission are: MLK Boulevard, South Claiborne Avenue and the Pontchartrain Expressway to the north, Magazine, Thalia, Prytania and Felicity Streets and St. Charles Avenue to the south and Toledano Street, Louisiana Avenue and Washington Avenue to the west. This old predominantly African-American neighborhood has been important in the city's brass band and Mardi Gras Indian traditions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 New Orleans mayoral election</span>

The first round of the New Orleans mayoral election of 2006 took place on April 22, 2006; a runoff between incumbent Mayor Ray Nagin and Louisiana Lieutenant Governor Mitch Landrieu took place on May 20, resulting in reelection for Mayor Nagin. The Mayor of New Orleans is the top official in New Orleans' mayor-council system of government.

Ron Forman is the head of the Audubon Nature Institute and was one of the leading candidates in the 2006 New Orleans mayoral election. A past president of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, Ron Forman began his tenure with Audubon Park and Zoological Garden in 1972 as City Hall liaison. Made Deputy Director in 1973 and Executive Director in 1977, the major transformation of Audubon Zoo from an "urban ghetto" to an "urban Eden" was underway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iberville Projects</span> New Orleans Neighborhood in Louisiana, United States

Iberville Projects was a neighborhood in the city of New Orleans and one of the low-income Housing Projects of New Orleans. The Iberville was the last of the New Deal-era public housing remaining in the city. Its boundaries were St. Louis Street, Basin Street, Iberville Street, and North Claiborne Avenue. It is located in the 6th ward of downtown New Orleans, on the former site of the Storyville district. The area has recently been redeveloped into a modernized apartment complex called the Bienville Basin Apartments.

<i>When the Levees Broke</i> 2006 American documentary series

When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts is a 2006 documentary film directed by Spike Lee about the devastation of New Orleans, Louisiana following the failure of the levees during Hurricane Katrina. It was filmed in late August and early September 2005, and premiered at the New Orleans Arena on August 16, 2006 and was first aired on HBO the following week. The television premiere aired in two parts on August 21 and 22, 2006 on HBO. It has been described by Sheila Nevins, chief of HBO's documentary unit, as "one of the most important films HBO has ever made." The title is a reference to the blues tune "When the Levee Breaks" by Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie about the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927.

Cynthia Hedge-Morrell is an African-American teacher, a former school administrator, and a Democratic politician from New Orleans, Louisiana. She served on the New Orleans City Council from 2005 to 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Rose (journalist)</span>

Chris Rose is a New York Times Best-Selling New Orleans, Louisiana, writer and journalist. For years best known for light-hearted writing in the Times-Picayune, he gained greater attention for his chronicles of the effect of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans since 2005.

<i>If God Is Willing and da Creek Dont Rise</i> American TV series or program

If God Is Willing and da Creek Don't Rise is a 2010 documentary film directed by Spike Lee, as a follow-up to his 2006 HBO documentary film, When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts. The film looks into the proceeding years since Hurricane Katrina struck the New Orleans and Gulf Coast region, and also focuses on the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and its effect on the men and women who work along the shores of the gulf. Many of the participants in Levees were also featured in this documentary.

References

  1. ↑ Hackenesch, Silke (9 November 2017). Chocolate and Blackness: A Cultural History. Campus Verlag. p. 147. ISBN   978-3-593-50776-7.
  2. ↑ "What Can Cities Do to Ease Racial Tension?". Jet. May 28, 2001. p. 6.
  3. ↑ Boyd, Todd (2002). The New H. N. I. C.: The Death of Civil Rights and the Reign of Hip Hop. New York University Press. p. 28. ISBN   0814798950.
  4. ↑ http://www.tavistalks.com/TTcom/TSradio/RayNagin011306.html . Retrieved February 5, 2006.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)[ dead link ]
  5. 1 2 Nagin apologizes for 'chocolate' city comments – CNN, January 18, 2006
  6. ↑ P-Funk Politics, The Nation, June 5, 2006
  7. ↑ Storms Payback From God, Nagin Says – Brett Martel, The Washington Post , January 17, 2006
  8. ↑ We've survived crazy politicians before Archived 2007-03-12 at the Wayback Machine . NOLA.com (2006-01-18). Retrieved on 2011-03-11.
  9. ↑ [ dead link ]
  10. ↑ In Big Easy cleanup, 'us' vs. 'them' – Saunddra Amrhein, St. Petersburg Times , October 23, 2005
  11. ↑ Senators tour New Orleans while mayor apologizes for "misinterpreted" comments – WIS News 10 – Columbia, South Carolina | Archived 2007-03-13 at the Wayback Machine . Wistv.com. Retrieved on 2011-03-11.
  12. ↑ We've Moved! Archived 2007-03-12 at the Wayback Machine . NOLA.com. Retrieved on 2011-03-11.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.