This exhibition chronicles 114 years of Idlewild, Michigan, a distinctive African American cultural landscape shaped by collective vision, entrepreneurship, leisure, artistic expression, and resilience. Established in the early twentieth century, Idlewild became one of America’s most celebrated Black resort communities, providing opportunities for recreation, property ownership, business development, and cultural fellowship amid racial segregation and restricted mobility for Black Americans.

Ronald J. Stephens is Professor and Coordinator of African American Studies at Purdue University and a leading historian of Idlewild, Michigan. His pioneering research examines Idlewild’s development as a celebrated Black resort community and its significance to African American leisure, entrepreneurship, landownership, migration, and cultural life. He is the author of Idlewild: The Black Eden of Michigan and Idlewild: The Rise, Decline, and Rebirth of a Unique African American Resort Town, foundational works informing this exhibition.

If you are interested in showing the exhibit to your students outside the above-mentioned open hours, please feel free to email Dr. Ronald Stephens at stephe87@purdue.edu to arrange a visit.