That expectation is part of what makes the subsequent decades of her inventive career comprehensible.

The Economic Geography of Black Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C., in the mid-twentieth century had a distinctive economic geography for its Black residents, one that shaped the possibilities available to someone like Mary Kenner.

The Black community in Washington was economically diverse, ranging from the most marginalized to a professional and business class that had achieved significant success within the constraints of segregation.

The U Street corridor was the commercial and cultural heart of Black Washington, a neighborhood of businesses, entertainment venues, churches, and civic organizations that functioned as a relatively self-contained economic community.