Bronzeville's Bootstraps

Bronzevilles Bootstraps describes the growth of African American businesses in the mid-twentieth century and how successful businesspersons overcame serious obstacles and simultaneously lit lanterns of hope for future generations. This unusual provocative novel details how Chicagos black private sector made Bronzeville the most prosperous community in the nation during the turbulent fifties sixties and seventies. The protagonist Jerome Gerard leaves his Beaumont Texas home with his family seeking employment as a registered pharmacist. After failing in several cities Jerome stops at the Pershing Hotel to relax for the weekend. The manager Lester Turkey Stevens introduces Gail and Jerome to Bronzevilles nightlife. The next day Lester takes Jerome to Felix and Beas restaurant to meet the swells. Because of their help-another-brother philosophy the swells find Jerome a job and a home overnight. After being blatantly lied to by his boss Jerome schemes to get the cash to buy his first drugstore. He learns what motivates Caucasians and uses their stimuli against them to build a chain. But it wasnt easy. Jerome encountered racist economic and illegal obstacles at every turn.