Adam's Belle is a first-person narrative of Isabel's life from her early childhood days as a baby drama queen in her hometown of Savannah, Georgia to her stage debut at Harlem's famous Cotton Club in the 1920's. Isabel soon meets a real life Prince Charming Rev. Adam Clayton Powell Jr. The two fall madly in love and plan to share their heaven on earth for the rest of their lives. She helps him to grow as an individual and a civil rights activist and is considered as the Queen of Harlem as the First Lady of Abyssinian Baptist Church. Eventually, Adam decides to run for Congress and becomes the first black Congressman representing Harlem. With much pain and agony, Isabel learns that not all fairy tales have a happy ending. Ultimately, she develops the strength to celebrate herself and even overcome breast cancer on her 100-year journey to becoming a true living legend. Belle's older sister was Fredi Washington (star of the Academy Award nominated 1934 film Imitation of Life ).
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I had been a summer resident of Oak Bluffs for only a short time when
a friend brought someone to my home she wanted me to meet. This was a
woman who perhaps loved Oak Bluffs and the Vineyard as much as life
itself.
Her name was Isabelle Washington Powell, known by all as Belle, an
Island icon, having first come here some seventy years ago. She was one
of the most charismatic people I've ever known. To be in her company was to hear some incredible stories of the fascinating life of celebrity, politics past and present and of her continued great love of a man she later divorced, Congressman Rev. Adam Clayton Powell Jr. pastor of the 15,000-member Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem from 1937 to 1970. I grew up reading about the Powells in the Louisville Defender and other newspapers and history books, but to get to know Belle personally was a lesson in life.
This week, a wonderful new autobiography on the late, inimitable,
Isabelle Washington Powell dancer, actor, social activist, and first
wife of the late Congressman Powell was released. The book is titled
Adam's Belle: A Memoir of Love Without Bounds. The volume consists of 200 pages filled with photographs never before published with the
unmistakable voice of the Belle that I knew leaping off the pages. Ms.
Burnett, the co-author, has listened closely to Belle's words and
written an exciting book which begins in the early stages of Belle's
life in Savannah, Ga.; her time as a dancer at the Cotton Club and on
Broadway during the Harlem Renaissance; and the period where she gives up her life's ambition and first love, the theatre and dance to become the First Lady of Abyssinian Baptist Church. In Ms. Burnett's
words, Only a drama queen like Belle could meet a real-life Prince Charming and give up everything to marry him.
Joyce Burnett spent 10 years working with Belle Powell to complete the
book. I recall meeting Ms. Burnett on Belle's porch several years ago.
She was the perfect fit to co-author the book. It is obvious that Ms. Burnett became fascinated with the life of Belle, who was center stage
during the 1920's, making entertainment history with the notables of the day at a time when African Americans could not enter the Cotton Club as patrons to enjoy her immense talents.
It was Evelyn Horad, friend of Belle Powell and former journalist and
social columnist for the Washington Afro-American Newspaper, who knew
of her interest in writing a memoir and introduced Joyce Burnett as a
potential biographer. Joyce and Belle got along famously and a wonderful book is the result.
Joyce Burnett, an attorney, has an interesting background in her own
right. She was a Peace Corps volunteer in West Africa, earned four
degrees and was a Fulbright Scholar. --Oak Bluffs Town Column
a friend brought someone to my home she wanted me to meet. This was a
woman who perhaps loved Oak Bluffs and the Vineyard as much as life
itself.
Her name was Isabelle Washington Powell, known by all as Belle, an
Island icon, having first come here some seventy years ago. She was one
of the most charismatic people I've ever known. To be in her company was to hear some incredible stories of the fascinating life of celebrity, politics past and present and of her continued great love of a man she later divorced, Congressman Rev. Adam Clayton Powell Jr. pastor of the 15,000-member Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem from 1937 to 1970. I grew up reading about the Powells in the Louisville Defender and other newspapers and history books, but to get to know Belle personally was a lesson in life.
This week, a wonderful new autobiography on the late, inimitable,
Isabelle Washington Powell dancer, actor, social activist, and first
wife of the late Congressman Powell was released. The book is titled
Adam's Belle: A Memoir of Love Without Bounds. The volume consists of 200 pages filled with photographs never before published with the
unmistakable voice of the Belle that I knew leaping off the pages. Ms.
Burnett, the co-author, has listened closely to Belle's words and
written an exciting book which begins in the early stages of Belle's
life in Savannah, Ga.; her time as a dancer at the Cotton Club and on
Broadway during the Harlem Renaissance; and the period where she gives up her life's ambition and first love, the theatre and dance to become the First Lady of Abyssinian Baptist Church. In Ms. Burnett's
words, Only a drama queen like Belle could meet a real-life Prince Charming and give up everything to marry him.
Joyce Burnett spent 10 years working with Belle Powell to complete the
book. I recall meeting Ms. Burnett on Belle's porch several years ago.
She was the perfect fit to co-author the book. It is obvious that Ms. Burnett became fascinated with the life of Belle, who was center stage
during the 1920's, making entertainment history with the notables of the day at a time when African Americans could not enter the Cotton Club as patrons to enjoy her immense talents.
It was Evelyn Horad, friend of Belle Powell and former journalist and
social columnist for the Washington Afro-American Newspaper, who knew
of her interest in writing a memoir and introduced Joyce Burnett as a
potential biographer. Joyce and Belle got along famously and a wonderful book is the result.
Joyce Burnett, an attorney, has an interesting background in her own
right. She was a Peace Corps volunteer in West Africa, earned four
degrees and was a Fulbright Scholar. --Oak Bluffs Town Column
About the Author
Joyce Burnett has always been interested in music, entertainment and fitness. She knew little, however, about the dynamic sounds and lifestyle of the Harlem Renaissance until she ran head on into Isabel Washington Powell, the glamorous showgirl from the 1920's who married the late Congressman Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. From the moment they met, Joyce was enthralled by the vivid pictures Belle painted of her life. The motivating factor for Joyce in writing this book was that Belle's story absolutely had to be included in the historical record. Belle's life was truly fantastic and it was the best story that had never been told. Joyce began this project shortly after publishing an article on her experience as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, and Mali. She worked closely with Belle for almost ten years to record this incredible story. Belle was very pleased with the early draft of Adam's Belle, but sadly, she passed away before her story was published. Joyce holds degrees from Wesleyan University, Johns Hopkins, and American University. She remains an avid fitness enthusiast.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Adam's Belle - A Wonderful Book,
By
This review is from: Adam's Belle: A Memoir of Love Without Bounds (Hardcover)
Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. was a flamboyant individual. Well-educated
and devilishly handsome, he was a firebrand minister, a passionate civil rights advocate, and a controversial politician. As the first African-American member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York, he attracted international attention. The ups and downs of his life and career have been well-chronicled. Less is known or written, however, about the people in his life. Powell blazed like a nova, blinding us to the stars that orbited within his universe. Author Joyce Burnett has taken a step in completing the record in Adam's Belle: A Memoir of Love Without Bounds. Her collaboration with Isabel Washington Powell, Powell's first wife, gives us a more textured picture of this complex man. More importantly, it gives us a first-hand look at a fascinating era in American history - the period from just before World War I through the current day. The narrative spans the period from Isabel, or Belle's, childhood in Savannah, Georgia, where her family was one of a very few African-American families living in a predominantly white neighborhood, through the Roaring 20's and the Harlem Renaissance, to the Depression and World War II, to her death on May 1, 2007. This is more than the story of a beautiful, light-skinned African-American woman who had show business success. It is a chronicle of life in America; warts and all. It paints a picture of race relations during a turbulent and fascinating period; not just relations between black and white, but the stratification that existed within the African-American community based on skin color and hair texture. Belle and her sister Fredi, for a brief time, were stars in the black entertainment industry. They were also activists and fighters for civil rights and dignity. This memoir gives us an up close and personal look at the events and personalities of the era known as the Harlem Renaissance, with some revealing insights into people like Ethel Waters, Paul Robeson, Flo Ziegfield, Duke Ellington, and Josephine Baker. It also paints a different picture of Adam Clayton Powell than the one based upon the publicity surrounding him until his death. Isabel's love for her "Bunny Boy" shows through in her every word. Even though he divorced her to marry another show business personality, Hazel Scott, her love for him never flagged. Her account of the devastation of her divorce and how she learned to live alone again is both touching and reaffirming. Her deep faith is also evident, despite the commonly-held view of her day that show business people were all sinful. Ms. Burnett is to be commended for her role in giving us a word portrait of this remarkable woman and her times. By allowing Belle's voice to carry the story throughout she has given us an authentic narrative that rings true and clear. The only negative note, which Ms. Burnett herself expressed on the flyleaf, is that Isabel Washington Powell sadly did not live to see the work published. She would have been pleased, I'm certain, to know that her book was awarded the 2009 Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year Award (Biography). --------------------------Charles Ray
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Adam's Belle is a must read!,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Adam's Belle: A Memoir of Love Without Bounds (Hardcover)
I've just finished reading ADAM'S BELLE by Isabel Washington Powell and i couldn't stop reading it.
The book was so full of life, joy, happiness, sadness and right back to joy again. I Finally got a detailed view into the lives of Fredi and Isabel Washington. They truly paved the way for the rights of not just black people, but human life in general. I am so happy that she shared her memories with us and i will treasure them so i too can enjoy my life to the fullest. Peace and Love Delano Sampson
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good But Repetitive,
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Adam's Belle: A Memoir of Love Without Bounds (Hardcover)
I bought this book because I am fascinated by Fredi Washington, the older sister of Isabelle and this book is the closest thing I have to a biography about her. The Good: This book gives us an up close glimpse into the lives of the Washington sisters and the Harlem Renaissance. If you are interested in this period of time and the Cotton Club this book will be good for you. For those interested in Fredi Washington, this book gives important details about her early years/childhood. The Bad: The writing is sloppy, repetitive, and mediocre. The Washington sisters are an interesting subject, but this author was clearly incapable of actually writing their story. The author kept repeating the same things over and over again in each chapter. Okay we get it...Adam left Isabelle for Hazel Scott, who is to the blame for Isabelle's failed marriage...not Adam (the other party in the marriage). It was too much and annoying at times. Just my two cents...
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