Green Street in Black and White: A Chicago Story

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.

Author: Dave Larsen
Publisher: Reformed Journal Books
Published: 04/29/2025
Pages: 194
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.59lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.45d
ISBN: 9781641802161

About the Author
Larsen, Dave: - Dave Larsen is a native Chicagoan, having spent most of his life living in or near Chicago. His interests include the history and architecture of Chicago, kayaking the Chicago river and area lakes, writing and storytelling. A regular contributor to the Reformed Journal, Dave has also published articles and reviews in The Banner, Think Christian, and Christian Scholars Review. Dave earned a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the Loyola University of Chicago, a Master of Religious Education degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Calvin University. Until his retirement, he was the Executive Director of the Bright Promise Fund for Urban Christian Education in Chicago. His faith development as a Christian was nurtured primarily in the teachings and neighborhood of the Reformed tradition. He came to a deeper appreciation of the Roman Catholic and Mennonite justice traditions through his graduate work. He and his wife Sally live in a delightful, racially diverse southern suburb of Chicago. Together they have five married children and eleven grandchildren.

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