North Webster: A Photographic History of a Black Community - Softcover

Morris, Ann; Ambrose, Henrietta

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0253286018 ISBN 13: 9780253286017

Publisher: Indiana University Press, 1993

Synopsis

"Morris and Ambrose tell an embattled but triumphant story of strong families, old-time religion, and an emphasis on education as the true path to freedom. Extraordinary photographs." ―Booklist

"Informal photographs taken from family albums and collections provide a warm, intimate look at several decades of middle-class African-American life." ―Los Angeles Times Book Review

"... a fascinating history of the achievements and tribulations... of North Webster, a small African-American community in an upper middle-class suburb of St. Louis." ―Journal of American History

"... a gloriously positive story which disproves past, present, and future notions that America’s black population cannot effectively embrace love, family commitment, religious fervor, industriousness, career advancement, and academic achievement." ―Julius K. Hunter, KMOV-TV Channel 4 News, St. Louis

"This book should serve as an inspiration to people of all races." ―Gateway Heritage

More than 140 period photographs illustrate this history of a remarkable, successful black community near St. Louis. North Webster Grove is a black middle-class suburb which began at the end of the Civil War. Its residents have suffered the discrimination of a southern border state, and yet they accomplished great things.

About this title

About the Author

ANN MORRIS is Associate Director of the Western Historical Manuscript Collection at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. HENRIETTA AMBROSE grew up in North Webster, served as President of the Webster Groves Historical Society, and is the first black person elected to the Webster Groves City Council. JOHN NAGEL teaches photography at St. Louis Community College at Meramec.

From the Back Cover

North Webster is a black middle-class suburb west of St. Louis which began at the end of the Civil War. Its residents have suffered the discrimination of a southern, border state, and yet they accomplished great things. The North Webster community emphasized education as the path to achievement from the beginning.

Reviews

This is a short history of a black suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. The narrative covers the years 1804 to 1983, but the 141 photos date from 1839 to the early 1970s. All major institutions and businesses in the community are mentioned in chronological order of their establishment and again when any major change in them took place. The prominent people who owned the businesses or who founded the churches, the fire department, and the school are all mentioned. More detail on the people would have been welcome, as readers are sometimes left wondering what became of some of them. But the photographs are well arranged, giving the sense of looking through a large family album or a high school yearbook. All Missouri libraries, academic libraries with black studies collections, and large public libraries with black studies or genealogy collections will want this book.
- Anita L. Cole, Miami-Dade P.L. System, Fla.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Indiana University Press
• Publication date: 1993
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0253286018
• ISBN 13: 9780253286017
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 208