Ronald Jemal Stephens's Books

Idlewild

The Black Eden of Michigan

By: Ronald Jemal Stephens

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Idlewild

The Black Eden of Michigan

By: Ronald Jemal Stephens

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 interactive 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. The lively legacy of Lela G. and Herman O. Wilson, and Paradise Path is included, featuring images of the Paradise Club and Wilson's Grocery. Idlewild continued its role as a distinctive American resort throughout the 1950s, with photographs ranging from Phil Giles' Flamingo Club and Arthur Braggs's Idlewild Revue.

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Page Count

132

Publisher

Arcadia Publishing

Published Date

ISBN 10

0738518905

ISBN 13

9780738518909

Idlewild

The Rise, Decline, and Rebirth of a Unique African American Resort Town

By: Ronald J. Stephens

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Idlewild

The Rise, Decline, and Rebirth of a Unique African American Resort Town

By: Ronald J. Stephens

In 1912, white land developers founded Idlewild, an African American resort community in western Michigan. Over the following decades, the town became one of the country’s foremost vacation destinations for the black middle class, during its peak drawing tens of thousands of visitors annually and hosting the era’s premier entertainers, such as The Four Tops, Della Reese, Brook Benton, and George Kirby. With the civil rights movement and the resulting expansion of recreation options available to African Americans, Idlewild suffered a sharp social and economic decline, and by the early 1980s the town had become a struggling retirement community in the midst of financial and political crises. Meticulously researched and unearthing never-before-seen historical material, Ronald J. Stephens’s book examines the rapid rise and decline of this pivotal landmark in African American and leisure history, in the process exploring intersections among race, class, tourism, entertainment, and historic preservation in the United States. Featuring a wealth of fieldwork on contemporary Idlewild, the book also takes a candid look at recent revitalization efforts and analyzes the possibilities for a future resurgence of this national treasure.

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Page Count

421

Publisher

University of Michigan Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0472029207

ISBN 13

9780472029204

Idlewild

The Black Eden of Michigan

By: Ronald Jemal Stephens

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Idlewild

The Black Eden of Michigan

By: Ronald Jemal Stephens

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N/A

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Age

Page Count

132

Publisher

Arcadia Publishing

Published Date

ISBN 10

0738518905

ISBN 13

9780738518909

African Americans of Denver

By: Ronald Jemal Stephens,La Wanna M. Larson,Black American West Museum

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African Americans of Denver

By: Ronald Jemal Stephens,La Wanna M. Larson,Black American West Museum

The city of Denver was born during the great "Pikes Peak or Bust" gold rush of 1859 when flakes of placer gold were found where the South Platte River meets Cherry Creek. With the discovery of more gold, Denver became a boomtown, and African American pioneers began to arrive in search of prosperity and a better future. Initially, Denver's African Americans lived scattered throughout the city and in the Cherry Creek area. By the late 1890s, most had relocated to the Five Points Neighborhood. Many worked in Denver during the week and farmed their homesteads in Dearfield on the weekends. They often spent their holidays at Winks Lodge and summers at Camp Nizhone.

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Page Count

132

Publisher

Arcadia Publishing

Published Date

ISBN 10

0738556254

ISBN 13

9780738556253

Book's by Ronald Jemal Stephens

Idlewild

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Idlewild

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African Americans of Denver

African Americans of Denver

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