Dave Larsen is a native Chicago in, having spent most of his life living near or in Chicago. His interest 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 Loyola University in Chicago, a master of religious education degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and a bachelor of arts degree 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 11 grandchildren.
From the Book – About the Author
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.
To strengthen partner schools in Chicago area neighborhoods by increasing access, supporting leaders, and being a catalyst for growth so more families may experience a high quality, Christ-centered education.
Equity: We believe at the core of what it means to be a human created in the image of God is the ability to choose. We believe every child should have access to a quality, Christ-centered school regardless of economic status and acknowledge the historical inequity in access to Christ-centered education.
Sustainability: We believe within creation, God has provided more than enough and continues to engage with this world in guiding the stewardship of His creation. Through sound leadership, shared resources, generosity and legislation schools can not only survive, but thrive anywhere in the city.
More Pending
