From the late 1800s to the early decades of the 1900s, African Americans started to occupy and steward recreational sites and public spaces throughout the United States, and thus challenged racial hierarchies while expressing Black identity on the social landscape. In her book, Living The California Dream: African American Leisure Sites During The Jim Crow Era, our guest historian Alison Rose Jefferson [http://www.alisonrosejefferson.com] examines how African American leisure sites were a catalyst for economic individualism, political perspectives, and self confidence and broader sense of community for Black society. In our discussion, Alison demonstrates how Black communal practices and economic development around leisure confronted the politics of racial exclusion in recreational spaces. She shares with us some unique stories of these leisure sites, their rich history, and the influence they still have today. Alison Rose Jefferson is a community engaged independent historian and heritage conservation consultant. a third generation Californian, her research interests focus on United States history, the African American experience, historical memory, social justice, and cultural tourism. She is the author of the book, Living The California Dream: African American Leisure Sites During The Jim Crow Era. in her work she aims to engage broad audiences through applied history projects in the struggle for social justice.