The Blackest City

Featured in The Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern California, this map challenges misconceptions and biases by presenting lived experiences as valuable data.

“Moreno Valley is a vital, yet overlooked, part of the narrative on Black migration to the Inland Empire. Through oral histories collected from past and present Black residents, The Blackest City captures the experiences and stories of building a family, practicing religion, making a living, building community, engaging in sports and leisure activities, and raising the young in Moreno Valley. These stories were geographically pinned on a map, offering a tangible representation of the community’s history affirming the communities vision for a thriving and inclusive community in the Inland Empire’s Blackest City.”