An autobiography of Black Chicago [Hardcover]

Dempsey Travis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1981

Few were more qualified than Dempsey Travis to write the history of African Americans in Chicago, and none would be able to do it with the same command of firsthand sources. This seminal paperback reissue, An Autobiography of Black Chicago, emulates the best works of Studs Terkel — portraying the African American Chicago community through the personal experiences of Dempsey Travis, his family, and his fellow Chicagoans. Through his family's and his own experiences, plus those of the book's numerous well-respected contributors, Travis tells a comprehensive, intimate story of African Americans in Chicago. Starting with John Baptiste Point du Sable, who was the first non–Native American to settle on the mouth of the Chicago River, and ending with Travis's successes providing equal housing opportunities for Chicago African Americans, An Autobiography of Black Chicago acquaints the reader with the city's most prominent African American figures — told through their own words.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dempsey Travis (1920–2009) was born and raised in Chicago. He was a real estate magnate, civil rights activist, jazz musician, and author. He graduated from Chicago's DuSable High School in 1939 and served in the army during World War II. He graduated from Roosevelt University in 1949 and received an advanced degree from the School of Mortgage Banking at Northwestern University in 1969. He is the author of Views from the Back of the Bus and An Autobiography of Black Jazz, among many other books. He served as president of the Society of Midland Authors, financial editor for Dollars and Sense for several years, and as a contributing writer to Ebony and The Black Scholar.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 378 pages
• Publisher: Urban Research Institute; 1st edition (1981)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0941484009
• ISBN-13: 978-0941484008
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,042,779 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent testimony on Black Chicago, April 15, 2011

By 

Henri Peretz (France) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Autobiography of Black Chicago (Paperback)

I really like this autobiography of a Black entrepreneur of Chicago. Excellent shape of the book . good price sent quickly and received shortly

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating History with a Personal Viewpoint, December 4, 2004

By 

avid reader - See all my reviews

This review is from: An autobiography of Black Chicago (Hardcover)

Terrific photographs and illustrations and nicely indexed. This book has a unique perspective. The Black population of Chicago is a major force in the city and this book depicts their history through personal anecdotes.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Big disappointment!, April 5, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Autobiography of Black Chicago (Paperback)

This book, I feel, was not as good as the critics said it was. I
It just did not interest me the way I thoght it would. I did enjoy learning about the history of blacks in Chicago. It was boring to me because of the format in which it was written. The book just did not click with me.