Black Eden: The Idlewild Community
Department
Sociology
Document Type
Book
Files
Description
Black Eden chronicles the history of Idlewild, a Michigan black community founded during the aftermath of the Civil War. As one of the nation’s most popular black resorts, Idlewild functioned as a gathering place for African Americans, and more importantly as a touchstone of black identity and culture. Benjamin C. Wilson and Lewis Walker examine Idlewild’s significance within a historical context, as well as the town’s revitalization efforts and the need for comprehensive planning in future development. In a segregated America, Idlewild became a place where black audiences could see rising black entertainers. Profusely illustrated with photos from the authors’ personal collections, Black Eden provides a lengthy discussion about the crucial role that Idlewild played in the careers of artists such as Louis Armstrong, B. B. King, Sammy Davis Jr., Jackie Wilson, Aretha Franklin, and Della Reese. Fundamentally, the book explores issues involved in living in a segregated society, the consequences of the civil rights movement, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and subsequent integration, and the consequences of integration vs. racial solidarity. The authors ask: Did integration kill Idlewild?, suggesting rather that other factors contributed to its decline.
Call number in WMU's library
F574.I35 W35 2002
ISBN
978-0870138041
Publication Date
1-1-2002
Publisher
Michigan State University Press
City
East Lansing
Disciplines
Sociology
Citation for published book
Walker, Wilson, and Wilson, Benjamin C. Black Eden : The Idlewild Community / Lewis Walker, Ben C. Wilson. 2002. Print.
Recommended Citation
Walker, Lewis and Wilson, Benjamin C., "Black Eden: The Idlewild Community" (2002). All Books and Monographs by WMU Authors. 465.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/books/465