Planetary Stories Project

"To Act Globally, Think Locally – Through Stories"

Black Earth Institute

Place: Washington D.C., USA

Intersection of Jazz and Cool
By Tracy Chiles McGhee

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At the intersection of jazz and cool
two brown-skinned dolls hip rockin’
down the boulevard while three cats
draped in zoot suits keep pace 
Swingin’clubs and bustlin’ shops
wait to empty any pocket with loot
and the Scurlock Studio
snap shots before the cats and dolls
cruise off to do the Lindy Hop 
Royalty cutting the rug! Righteous! 
They called it Black Broadway-
right in DC down on 14th and U
If you don’t believe me, ask
Zora, Langston, Ella, Pearl and Duke
and that’s just me droppin a few! 
No jive! 
And the party lasted a good long while
‘Til the day they killed our King
Humph!
Then Boomerang!
The people burned down the house that pride built 
Gone just like that! 
Dope dealers and hoodlums paraded in
like they owned the damn joint and
broke down folks took up residence
in boarded up buildings with no dreams and no hope 
A damn shame! Made you wanna cry! 
But that was then and this is now
and something new is stirring in the ashes 
Good times rising! 
Different times and a different crowd
but you best believe U Street is where
I be! Still lookin sharp too!
Got swagger like the youngins say!
And you can put a C-note on that! 
But those were the days
Black Broadway
Yep! That’s what they called it
at the intersection of jazz and cool
where we had a ball and broke all the rules!

Contact Tracy Chiles McGhee: tmcghee-communications@usa.net