Black Summers: Growing Up in the Urban Outdoors

Edited by Desiree Cooper
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Wayne State University Press

About the Book

A triumphant, cross-generational exploration of Black joy and resilience.

Remember frolicking outside during the long, jubilant days of summer? Black Summers invites readers to breathe deeply and return to that “carefree” season—riding bikes through the neighborhood, hopping the ferry to Boblo Island, catching catfish along the river, dancing on warm nights to Afrobeats and jazz, and cooling off in the Swimmobile.

For the Detroiters featured in this evocative anthology, those sun-drenched memories were often shaped by racism and exclusion. Emerging and award-winning creators of all ages recount the struggles and triumphs of staking their claim to public space and the urban outdoors.

Ranging from poetry to essays, creative nonfiction to comics, Black Summers blends nostalgia with resistance, resilience, and joy. Rooted in the African American experience, this collection offers a powerful reflection on memory, movement, and belonging—celebrating Black life lived fully, even in the face of constraint.

Why We Love This Book

Black Summers honors everyday Black life, childhood memory, and the enduring joy found in outdoor spaces—stories that feel both personal and collective, nostalgic and forward-looking.