Groundbreaking Magic A Black Woman's Journey Through The Happiest Place on Earth Book is now available

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Disney Store has released Groundbreaking Magic A Black Woman’s Journey Through The Happiest Place on Earth Book today, June 4, 2025. The price is $25.99.

Groundbreaking Magic is a poignant and inspiring narrative that chronicles the remarkable journey of Martha Blanding, a pioneering Black woman from South Central Los Angeles, who broke barriers to become the first African American to have a remarkable 50-year career with The Walt Disney Company. This captivating memoir takes readers through the transformative years of Disneyland, from its groundbreaking opening in 1955 to the dynamic cultural shifts of the 1970s, as seen through Martha’s unique perspective. Starting her career as the park’s first Black tour guide at just 20 years old during a racially charged era, Martha not only witnessed but also played a significant role in shaping the park’s evolution, overseeing multi-million dollar merchandise events featuring renowned artists and celebrities.

At its core, Groundbreaking Magic is not merely a personal account but a cultural history that highlights the strength and resilience of Martha’s close-knit family, who migrated from the Deep South seeking a better life. Through her family’s trials and triumphs, the book reveals the indomitable spirit of Black Americans during some of the nation’s most challenging times. With a blend of humor, heartache, and insightful commentary, this work provides a fresh and compelling perspective on Disneyland’s legacy as a leader in immersive entertainment and workplace culture. Written by Martha Blanding and Tim O’Day, this hardcover edition spans 384 pages and is suitable for adult readers, making it an essential addition to any Disney or cultural history enthusiast’s collection.

Shop the Groundbreaking Magic: A Black Woman's Journey Through The Happiest Place on Earth Book at DisneyStore.com, the official Disney shopping destination.

Product Details:

Disneyland was groundbreaking when it opened in 1955 and continues to possess a legacy of being a trendsetter in both the world of themed, immersive, entertainment and workplace culture, experiences, and training. Although change was inevitable it didn’t always come easy.
When Martha Blanding started working at Disneyland Park in 1971, it was already a wildly successful and internationally beloved travel destination that had welcomed more than 100 million guests. This book is a personal journey through 50 years of Disneyland as told like never before . . . through the eyes and perspective of a successful Black woman who was indeed an example of Groundbreaking Magic.
The book tells how a 20-year-old college student came to work in Walt Disney’s original theme park during the racially charged era of the early 1970s, starting as the park’s first Black tour guide and eventually overseeing multi-million dollar generating merchandise-based events, many featuring globally acclaimed artists and celebrities. Martha also had a unique vantage point as she saw how societal changes impacted and changed Disneyland while she helped make much of that change possible.
In addition to all the Disney pixie dust, an incredibly loving, resilient, and close American family is at the heart of this book. With her bedrock parents who had joined the Great Migration out of the Deep South, her family witnessed firsthand some of our country’s most shameful events while never faltering in their faith or pride in being Black Americans.
Part memoir and part cultural history, Groundbreaking Magic is sweet, insightful, sometimes blunt, occasionally heartbreaking, and often funny and surprising, providing the first-ever account of Disney history as seen through the eyes of ”Martha B.”

Written by Martha Blanding with Tim O’Day

Hardcover

384 pages

Ages: adult

Extra Information:

Published by Disney Press

Paper

8 1/3” H x 6” W

Printed in U.S.A.

SKU Item Number: 470023374882

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