Nina LaCour Weaves an Intimate Story of the Great Migration to California in Novel 'Meet Me in the Garden'
Summary
Nina LaCour discusses her novel *Meet Me in the Garden*, which draws on her Creole family’s migration from New Orleans to Compton. The conversation explores themes of racial passing, queer identity, and the Great Migration, highlighting how historical realities shaped her fiction. LaCour also reflects on the challenges of writing for adults versus young audiences and the research behind depicting mid-century art and life.
Topics discussed
Book introduction and Creole family history in New Orleans
The Great Migration train journey from New Orleans to LA
Colorism, passing, and the 'wrist test' in Creole society
Settling in Compton: Segregation, violence, and community
Parallel themes of racial and queer passing in the novel
Personal identity, birth certificates, and layered heritage
Labor history: Columbia Records plant and union tensions
Writing process: Shifting from YA to adult historical fiction
Researching queer life and art in mid-century Los Angeles
Redefining race, culture, and legacy for future generations
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