Summary

In the prologue, entitled “The Milkman’s Baby,” author Morgan Jerkins gives some personal background information. Her parents are not married, and their relationship ended before Jerkins was born. Jerkins is Black, but she has relatively light skin, which has often made her feel slightly uncomfortable or unsure of her identity. Jerkins was raised solely by her mother, in New Jersey, somewhat near Atlantic City. Jerkins’ father was from the South, and he lived with his wife and children in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Jerkins is a professional writer. In 2015, she moved to New York City to enter the publishing industry. Her writing often focuses on race in America. For this book, she traveled to various locations in the United States that have been important to Black Americans, hoping to learn more about Black history and migrations.

In Part 1, Chapter 1, Jerkins recalls taking...