Synopses & Reviews
"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."
Synopsis
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.
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.