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In the early 1960s on Green Street, a boy and his friends face challenges in a neighborhood brimming with racial change. Dave Larsen takes us back to a summer of social upheaval, when youthful mischief collided with the weight of adult fears.
The novel is set in Englewood on Chicago's south side, a community like countless others across America that were marked in that era by the lively interaction of families, despite ethnic divides and the realities of integration and white flight. The story follows Erik Pedersen and his friends, the Green Street Boys, as they confront prejudice, discover solidarity, and witness the cracks in their seemingly ordinary world. As families leave, neighbors and their congregations grapple with fear. As tensions rise, Erik is thrust into a moral conflict that challenges his understanding of right and wrong.
Larsen's historical fiction includes real events from the author's childhood on Green Street to give a sense of the dynamics at play in neighborhoods and congregations in that era. Factual events include riding in an Irish uncle's Chicago police car, a church hiring a seminary intern to track where Black families were moving, and even a tragic shooting that poured fuel on families' simmering anxieties.
With heart and authenticity, Larsen captures a pivotal moment in American history for millions, as seen through the eyes of a young boy yearning to make sense of his changing world. Green Street in Black and White is a coming-of-age tale that poignantly examines community, courage, and the enduring need to face what we cannot ignore.
This novel also is ideal for group discussion and Larsen provides a free, downloadable discussion guide to help spark spirited conversation.
