“Black Eden” and “Idlewild: The Black Eden of Michigan”

“Black Eden” chronicles the history of Idlewild, one of the many American black communities founded during the aftermath of the Civil War. As Michigan’s most popular black resort, Idlewild functioned as a gathering place for African Americans and, more important, 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 such artists 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, and the consequences of the civil rights movement, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and subsequent integration, and integration vs. racial solidarity. The authors ask: “Did integration kill Idlewild?” but suggest that other factors contributed to its decline.

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Once considered the most famous African-American resort community in the country, Idlewild was referred to as the Black Eden of Michigan in the 1920s and 30s, and as the Summer Apollo of Michigan in the 1950s and 60s. Showcasing classy revues and performances of some of the leading black entertainers of the period, Idlewild was an oasis in the shadows of legal segregation. “Idlewild: Black Eden of Michigan” focuses on this illustrative history, as well as the decline and the community’s contemporary renaissance, in over 200 rare photographs.

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