Go-Go music and place identity: the perseverance of the Chocolate City

Washington, D.C. has two sides: Washington and D.C. Washington is a melting pot with powerful leaders and newcomers working their way through the political scene. D.C., or The Chocolate City, is a space for Black people by Black people. It has a unique culture that sets trends in fashion, dance, and music. Unfortunately, gentrification in the city is diminishing D.C.’s Black population, giving way to physical and cultural displacement. This thesis analyzes how the identity and sound of D.C. as represented through Go-Go music, is a catalyst for organization and activism in response to intense development pressures. It also explores streets in D.C. as public spaces that activate public awareness and response. The analysis and exploration are guided by the following questions: How can music show Black people how to exist outside of their pain? How can design include self-identity or place identity in a landscape? These questions will be answered through a reflection of current events, historical research, and musical mapping. Through an analysis of the history of Black music, from enslavement to Go-Go, this thesis illustrates how music is a form of unrestrained expression and empowerment. This history validates music as a documentation of place identity and as an activism tool to gather and strengthen communities. The main vehicle for this activism is the street, which through different methods of design, can be manipulated to support resilient placemaking. A documentary (https://youtu.be/Zofs34FaS-0) was produced as a means to convey the exploration into music and place identity. Through the use of archival material, spatial genre mapping, and the development of a template for music genres, this accompanying visual component allows for an ephemeral analysis on place and how its identity can develop over time. It views Washington, D.C. through the first-person lens while simultaneously explaining the found research. In addition, a design toolkit that includes the parameters of modularity, display of historical and cultural identity, a space for performance and artistic freedom, and a network of history are the building blocks to help create resilient Black spaces that support activism in the landscape.M.L.A.Includes bibliographical reference