Paradise

In Paradise, there are multiple historical references that are used to demonstrate African American community.  As the book begins, the migration of African Americans after the end of slavery is brought up again.  This time the migration is headed to the west as the recently freed slaves try to start their new lives.  Because of the standard discrimination in the Southern portion of the United States, they find it difficult to establish themselves in existing towns.  This led to African Americans pooling their allotment of land into solid black communities in Oklahoma.  As they thrived through time, they hit bumps just like other towns.  Just like others, the dust bowl hindered their expansion, the youth's need to explore and find their own place in the world, and so on would end up bringing strife to the communities. 

Later in the book, she uses another historical context or belief.  Marcus Garver's "Back to Africa/Diaspora" theory was utilized to illustrate this conflict of opinion in the black community.  Two of her characters have a discussion about who their ancestors are, how far back they should consider when looking at their community influence, pride, and such. 

This book can be hard to keep the characters straight because of the amount of characters, how they come, go, and interact.  But it is worth reading as you gain insight in opinions, debates, interaction, and so on.