Ishmael Reed, Carla Blank, and Tennessee Reed visited the Northeast between September 19, 2008 and October 6, 2008. Ishmael Reed traveled to New York City; New Haven, Connecticut; Buffalo, New York; and Syracuse, New York. Carla Blank traveled to New York City; New Haven, Connecticut; Nanuet, New York; Buffalo, New York; and Boston and Cambridge in Massachusetts. Tennessee Reed traveled to New York City; New Haven, Connecticut; Buffalo, New York; and Boston and Cambridge in Massachusetts. Delta Air Lines was their means of transportation between San Francisco and New York. Amtrak was their means around each city in the Northeast.

Ishmael Reed spoke at New York University, Yale University, the New School and Syracuse University about his non-fiction book "Mixing it Up: Taking on the Media Bullies and Other Reflections." He also spoke at a reception for Clyde Taylor's Retirement and on the late James Baldwin. Tennessee Reed spoke about her memoir, "Spell Alburquerque: Memoir of a 'Difficult' Student" at East Boston High School and Lesley University. Carla Blank worked on a piece with performance Robert Wilson for her long time friend and former dancer Suzushi Hanayagi.

Ishmael and Tennessee visited their mother and grandmother in Buffalo, New York and Carla got to visit her mother and mother-in-law in Nanuet, New York and Buffalo, New York. Ishmael, Carla and Tennessee got to visit longtime friends in New York City and Tennessee also got to see a friend in Cambridge. Carla got to visit a friend in New Haven. Tennessee and Carla got to visit the American Museum of Natural History, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art.  All three got to visit Central Park and Tennessee got to visit Ground Zero with a friend.

All in all, it was a very productive and positive trip.