Marcia Chatelain Uncovers Hidden Stories of Black America's Civil Rights Era
Marcia Chatelain, a leading scholar in African American history, has reshaped discussions on race, economics, and social justice. Her 2020 book, Franchise: The Golden Arches in Black America, won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for its deep examination of McDonald's role in Black communities. Now, with two new books on the way, she continues to explore untold stories from the Civil Rights era.
Chatelain's academic path began with an interest in journalism, but she soon shifted focus to broader questions of religion, race, and history. At the University of Pennsylvania, where she serves as the Penn Presidential Compact Professor of Africana Studies, she teaches popular courses like Sex, Love, and Race in African American Life and History. This class examines how laws have shaped personal relationships and experiences within the Black community.
Her Pulitzer-winning book, Franchise, grew from the 'food sovereignty' movement and traces the rise of Black fast-food franchisees. The work reveals how McDonald's, under Ray Kroc's leadership, supported Black entrepreneurs—so long as they maintained profits and service standards. Beyond writing, Chatelain also created the Ferguson Syllabus, a crowdsourced resource to help educators discuss the 2014 Ferguson protests.
This autumn, she will release How Bright the Path Grows, a book highlighting women whose contributions to the 1963 March on Washington were overshadowed. Meanwhile, her next project will explore Civil Rights leadership after Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination in 1968.
Chatelain's work bridges history, economics, and activism, offering fresh perspectives on Black America's struggles and achievements. Her upcoming books promise to bring even more overlooked voices into the spotlight. With each project, she expands the conversation on race, justice, and the enduring fight for equality.
