Now it's a small community in
Northwest Michigan surrounded
by the Manistee National Forest,
and it was once known as the Black Eden.
We're talking about at a wild.
One of the only places African Americans
could visit during segregation,
13-9 year sides.
Joshua Vinson is live in Ottawa
this morning to tell us more.
Good morning, Josh.
Good morning Meredith.
Enjoy yeah this quiet now here in Idlewild,
but this place was the epicenter
for middle class black Americans.
They came to this beautiful lake
behind me and enjoyed themselves
during segregated times.
Many people may have never heard
of this town, but it played a
vital role in American history.
The only place that you know for
miles that you could let your hair
down and actually party without the
fear of am I gonna get arrested.
But it's a very historical place I
but for me it's just always been home.
The small community of Ida,
while with a population of a little
more than 700, comprised of three
lakes with miles of Shoreline,
has a significant place in history.
Sitting about 35 miles
east of Ludington, doctor.
Kyla Evans explains how it came to be.
It really began in 1910 when two
Caucasian entrepreneur brothers harassed
this branch in Attleboro branch.
They saw an opportunity to homestead some
land after they homesteaded it for two years.
They earned the real estate rights to
sell the land to whoever they wanted,
and they chose wealthy African Americans,
prominent black Americans like
Doctor Daniel Hale Williams,
who performed the first successful.
Open heart surgery in the US was the
first to purchase property in Idlewild,
followed by self made millionaire Madam
CJ Walker and sociologist WEB Dubois.
Over the years the city went through
many phases starting as an investment
town like Tulsa's Black Wall Street,
then to a working class town until
finally becoming a resort town.
That was the heyday where we
had the entertainers Della
Reese and Louis Armstrong and.
The Four Tops and Sarah
Vaughan and many other jazz,
Blues and bebop entertainers.
But the good times didn't last the
night a while the city was eventually
nearly abandoned and forgotten about
business owner and a resident of
the community since the mid 1960s.
Joe Lindsay says the people who made
the city what it is, left it behind,
but when the Immigration Bill came and the
Black had opportunity to go other places,
they packed up and dessert.
Little while others believe it
wasn't integration alone that
caused Idelwild to fall, I
may have an unpopular opinion.
But black people killed Idlewild.
Not integration.
What happened to Idlewild is that
people stopped investing in IT.
People stopped believing that we could
have a community built by ourselves,
invested in by ourselves and
create something magnificent
investment. The word people across
this town say will help make the city
anew and make it an attractive place.
Jim Mayberry, the president of the Idaho
African American Chamber of Commerce,
says the community has a bright future.
Right about is just like a blank campus.
Right now. You know,
for this economic development.
For new businesses ventures you know the.
The opportunities are limitless.
The younger generation is optimistic
about the future of their hometown.
It's a rebirth and it's gonna be new.
It's the new Idlewild.
I always say it's never gonna
be the way that it used to be,
but it's going to be a new,
newer version of Idlewild
that's going to be. I'd say,
better. It's a community
that is on the rebound.
It had its highs and lows.
Like many cities in Michigan,
but special nonetheless.
I can explain it to you,
you know you just have to be
here to feel it, you know.
And once you come with open
mind and you get up here,
you will love idol wow.
And you will love this
beautiful community indeed.
Head over to our website 13 on
yourside.com and click on this story.
I have information about
some upcoming events,
such as the Juneteenth event that's
happening at about a month from now,
and also a jazz fest that's
happening in August.
They say if people from West Michigan
and really the entire Midwest come
out here and experience idle while
they too will love this city as well.
We're live from the Black Eden of Michigan,
Joshua Vinson 13 on your side.