Throughout the twentieth century, African Americans challenged
segregation at amusement parks, swimming pools, and skating rinks not
only in pursuit of pleasure but as part of a wider struggle for racial
equality. Well before the Montgomery bus boycott, mothers led their
children into segregated amusement parks, teenagers congregated at
forbidden swimming pools, and church groups picnicked at white-only
parks. But too often white mobs attacked those who dared to transgress
racial norms. In Race, Riots, and Roller Coasters, Victoria W. Wolcott
tells the story of this battle for access to leisure space in cities all
over the United States.
Contradicting the nostalgic image of urban leisure venues as democratic
spaces, Wolcott reveals that racial segregation was crucial to their
appeal. Parks, pools, and playgrounds offered city dwellers room to
exercise, relax, and escape urban cares. These gathering spots also gave
young people the opportunity to mingle, flirt, and dance. As cities grew
more diverse, these social forms of fun prompted white insistence on
racially exclusive recreation. Wolcott shows how black activists and
ordinary people fought such infringements on their right to access
public leisure. In the face of violence and intimidation, they swam at
white-only beaches, boycotted discriminatory roller rinks, and picketed
Jim Crow amusement parks. When African Americans demanded inclusive
public recreational facilities, white consumers abandoned those places.
Many parks closed or privatized within a decade of desegregation.
Wolcott's book tracks the decline of the urban amusement park and the
simultaneous rise of the suburban theme park, reframing these shifts
within the civil rights context.
Filled with detailed accounts and powerful insights, Race, Riots, and
Roller Coasters brings to light overlooked aspects of conflicts over
public accommodations. This eloquent history demonstrates the
significance of leisure in American race relations.
