New Book Celebrates History of African Americans in Des Moines and Polk County

Sept. 27, 2011 - PRLog -- African Americans of Des Moines and Polk County, a new book exploring the heritage the African American community in the Des Moines area through vintage photographs and captions, will be published September 26.

Although African American pioneers arrived in Des Moines, Iowa, in the early 1860s, the population exploded in the 1880s due to the surrounding coal mines. From 1900 to the 1960s, African Americans across the United States called Center Street "the coolest place in the country." e. In Des Moines in the late 1960s and early 1970s, young African Americans discarded the term Negro and demanded to be referred to as Afro-American or black, as black pride swelled in their chests.

"I hope that for generations to come, African Americans who live in Des Moines or who had lived in Des Moines will pass on this history with pride," says author Honesty Parker.

African Americans of Des Moines and Polk County will be available September 26, 2011 at area bookstores, independent retailers, online retailers, and through Arcadia Publishing at (888) 313-2665 or www.arcadiapublishing.com.  

Arcadia Publishing is the leading publisher of local and regional history in the United States.  Our mission is to make history accessible and meaningful through the publication of books on the heritage of America’s people and places.  Have we done a book on your town? Visit www.arcadiapublishing.com.

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With more than 7,500 local history titles published to date, Arcadia Publishing is the leading publisher of local and regional history in the United States. Widely recognized sepia books feature hundreds of vintage historical images.