The Forging of a Black Community: Seattle's Central District from 1870 through the Civil Rights Era

by Quintard Taylor and Norm Rice

Book Overview

Through much of the twentieth century, black Seattle was synonymous with the Central District--a four-square-mile section near the geographic center of the city. Quintard Taylor explores the evolution of this community from its first few residents in the 1870s to a population of nearly forty thousand in 1970. With events such as the massive influx of rural African Americans beginning with World War II and the transformation of African American community leadership in the 1960s from an integrationist to a "black power" stance, Seattle both anticipates and mirrors national trends. Thus, the book addresses not only a particular city in the Pacific Northwest but also the process of political change in black America.

Seattle's first black resident was a sailor named Manuel Lopes who arrived in 1858 and became the small community's first barber. By the early twentieth century, black life in Seattle coalesced in the Central District, a four-square-mile section east of downtown. Black Seattle, however, was never a monolith. Through world wars, economic booms and busts, and the civil rights and black power movements of the 1960s, the African American community negotiated intragroup conflicts and used varied approaches to challenge racial inequity. Despite these differences, the community shared a distinct African American culture and black urban ethos. With a new foreward and afterword, this second edition of The Forging of a Black Community is essential to understanding the history and present of the largest black community in the Pacific Northwest.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0295973455
• ISBN13: 9780295973456
• Release Date: July 1994
• Publisher: University of Washington Press
• Length: 426 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Accessible history and a "good read"

Although well-researched and scholarly, this history of the predominantly black Seattle Central District is enjoyable and accessible for the non-historian due to Dr. Taylor's engaging writing style. The book touches on broader topics than the title might indicate, for example, inter-minority relationships between the Asian- and African-American communities. I found his treatment of the opposing views on school busing, w/in the black community, to be an example of how one can approach respectfully discussing differing--even sharply differing-- points of view. There are extensive footnotes for those who would like to go on to read his sources. This book is a "good read."

Important book

The review that follows says it all, but I want to add that this is THE book for African American history in the Seattle area. I found it moving and thought-provoking. Anyone serious about understanding issues of diversity in the Pacific Northwest should begin with this book.

great overview

Though Seattle's experience may be somewhat different from other parts of the country, the issues were still (and are still) complex. This book not only puts it all in context, but leaves you hungry for more. It's an opportunity to discover unsung heroes, mourn blaring injustices, and refresh the belief that we can still learn from the past in order to forge a better future. As a native of Seattle who spent 8 years living in Georgia, I especially appreciated the breadth of information. Reading Taylor's book inspired me to read Horace Cayton's autobiography and follow up on some of the other sources Taylor drew on. Well written, dynamic, and comprehensive.