First and foremost, I would like to thank my mother for her love and support over the years. The origins of my academic and intellectual journeys are deeply rooted in the examples and encouragement she has provided throughout my life. Because we are close, she has also lived with this project for many years and has always been willing to listen to me speak about archival discoveries and new revelations that at the time mattered to no one but me. Her time and patience have made this process less isolating.
Thank you also to my family—Dave, Jess, and Dad—for your constant encouragement and support. You have all been sources of joy and reality at times when I was obsessive in my thinking. Thank you as well to Janet, Derek, Grandma, Flo, Linda, Paul, Bob, Ed, and all members of my extended family for your support.
I began this project while in the Department of History at Ohio State University. Hasan Jeffries was terrific to work with; his wisdom and advice profoundly shaped this book and my intellectual growth; all those softball games (OSU intramural champs 2011) were a fun respite, even though we usually just talked about work. Kevin Boyle is the best teacher I have ever seen. Working with him during those years was essential to the development of this book and to many other components of my career. Ken Goings provided wonderful feedback on every single page of an early draft. His influence remains omnipresent every time I teach “The History of the Civil Rights Movement.”
I first realized what this book could be while talking to Joe Arena outside a bar on High Street in Columbus, Ohio. Joe influenced this book as much as anyone else, telling me not to “sell it short” and correctly insisting on a new opening chapter. Christopher Elias, the third member of my writing group during the early stages of this book, helped me think differently about prose and art. Our group was connected by a profound love of storytelling, history, and writing. Although we never did adopt a name, our writing group meetings had a great impact on me, and I will always cherish those memories.
Others at OSU helped provide a rich intellectual environment and supportive atmosphere that incubated this work and my career. Thank you to Judy Wu, Stephanie Shaw, Leslie Alexander, Paula Baker, Tiyi Morris, Harvey Graff, Robin Judd, Randy Roth, David Staley, Tyran Steward, Jessica Pliley, Robert Bennett III, Giselle Jeter, Matt Yates, Lindsey Parker, Tony Gass, Jason Perkins, Nicole Jackson, Noel Voltz, and dozens of other graduate students. Great friends in and around Columbus—including Lou Tobin, Bill and Kari Warfield, Jason Gibson, the CFFL, the Grinders, Chi Nguyen, Anne McDaniel, and Ashley Bowerman—helped provide much-needed breaks from an otherwise all-consuming academic experience. I realize that I was lucky to be surrounded by the right people at the right time and place. My life and work would otherwise have been quite different.
The year I spent in Hattiesburg teaching at the University of Southern Mississippi was the most valuable professional experience of my life. I am so grateful to Southern Miss, the Department of History, and all of my colleagues from that year, especially Curtis Austin, Max Grivno, Phyllis Jestice, Andy and Jill Weist, Doug Bristol, Heather Stur, Andrew Haley, Kyle Zelner, Doug Chambers, Bo Morgan, Susannah Ural, and Christian Pinnen—all of whom helped shape this book. Not only did Max Grivno introduce me to two types of sources that proved invaluable, but he also provided a ride to the archives in Jackson. Thanks also to Charles Bolton and Louis Kyriakoudes for their contributions to the USM Oral History collection. People often ask me, “Why Hattiesburg?” The truth is that this book, especially the sections about African Americans, could not have been written without the incredible oral histories USM began collecting in the 1970s. My approach would not have been possible in other cities with less rich collections. Others in the USM community helped shape this work and enrich my experiences there, especially Kevin Greene, Dave Davies, Jennifer Marquardt, Don Holmes, and Sherita L. Johnson.
The archivists at Southern Miss, especially Jennifer Brannock, Andrew Rhodes, Cindy Lawler, and Leah Rials, have been incredibly supportive. I know all archivists are helpful, but these folks have truly gone far beyond their normal duties to aid my research. They processed special orders, scanned and emailed documents, and even took the time to speak with me at parties and social events about document collections (sorry for that). Other archivists who provided valuable research assistance include Michael Edwards at the Wisconsin Historical Society, Anne Webster at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Chris Harter at the Amistad Research Center, and Elaine Hall at the King Center. Thank you to all the countless librarians and archivists who helped make this research possible. Thank you also to Alice Thiede who produced a map for this book.
This book has also been shaped by conversations and interviews with several legendary civil rights activists who have helped me gain a much better understanding of the civil rights movement and life in the Jim Crow South: Staughton Lynd, Bob Moses, Hollis Watkins, Charlie Cobb, Mark Levy, Roscoe Jones, Ed King, Lawrence Guyot, Joseph Ellin, Sandra Adickes, Jan Hillegas, Julian Bond, Margaret Kibbee, Marilyn Lowen, Colia Clark, Herbert Randall, Heather Booth, Ira Landess, Paula Pace, Sheila Michaels, Stanley Zibulsky, Frank Figgers, Glenda Funchess, Peggy Jean Connor, Anthony Harris, Daisy Harris Wade, Jessie Morris, Raylawni Branch, Dorie and Joyce Ladner.
Dozens more historians and scholars have also shaped this work. There are too many to list, but those with whom I have most directly engaged include Robin D. G. Kelley, Jason Ward, Crystal Sanders, Nan Woodruff, William Van Deburg, Emilye Crosby, Nishani Frazier, Françoise Hamlin, Charles Payne, John Dittmer, Danielle McGuire, Antwain Hunter, Ariane Cruz, Sabrina Strings, Jessie Dunbar, Shannen Dee Williams, Grace Hale, Jon Hale, Davarian Baldwin, Daphne Chamberlain, Scott Nelson, Kevin Greene, Ted Ownby, Nan Woodruff, Tony Kaye, Jessica Johnson, Deidre Cooper Owens, Glenda Gilmore, Kidada Williams, Becca Walton, Nishani Frazier, Treva Lindsey, Charles Hughes, Keme Hawkins, Tanisha Ford, Keisha Blain, Ashley Farmer, Christina Greene, Brenda Gayle Plummer, Craig Werner, Charles Reagan Wilson, Louis Ferleger, Linda Heywood, Bruce Schulman, Adrian Pettey, and Michael Vinson Williams. There are many hundreds more whose work has in some way shaped this book. Thank you. I apologize for any omissions.
At my current home institution, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, I have enjoyed an exceptional level of support and access to a phenomenal intellectual environment. My work has truly been elevated by tremendous colleagues. Thank you to everyone in the Department of History, especially Karen Auerbach, Fitz Brundage, Claude Clegg, Lloyd Kramer, Kathleen DuVal, Matt Andrews, Lauren Jarvis, Bill Ferris, Marcie Ferris, Joseph T. Glatthaar, Jerma Jackson, Jacquelyn Dowd Hall, Miguel La Serna, Jim Leloudis, Lisa Lindsay, Heather Williams, Kenneth Janken, Malinda Lowery, Genna Rae McNeil, Michael Morgan, Molly Worthen, Susan Dabney Pennybacker, Louis A. Pérez, Jr., Katie Turk, Erik Gellman, Ben Waterhouse, and Harry Watson. These people have helped shape my work the most profoundly, but this book is the product of a broader supporting community in Chapel Hill. Thanks also to Joyce Loftin, Sharon Anderson, Adam Kent, Michael Williams, and Jennifer Parker for helping facilitate research and other logistics.
The intellectual community at UNC-Chapel Hill and in central North Carolina’s Research Triangle makes this the best place in the world to study Southern history. Outside of my own department, I am also grateful to Sibby Anderson-Thompkins, Jennifer Pruitt, Ron Williams, Brandon Proia, Tim Tyson, Kat Charron, Elizabeth Engelhardt, Gabrielle Berlinger, Joey Fink, Ben Frey, Elizabeth Manekin, Bernie Herman, Anna Krome-Lukens, Bob Korstad, Wesley Hogan, Sean Zeigler, Lindsay Ayling, Maya Little, Brendon Thornton, Adriane Lentz-Smith, Christian Lentz, Jennifer Ho, Ariana Vigil, Danielle Christmas, Patrick Horn, Rachel Seidman, Jennifer Standish, Seth Kotch, Mosi Ifatunji, Rob Shapard, Mishio Yamanaka, T. Evan Faulkenbury, Laura Edwards, Jarvis McInnis, Blair Kelley, Thavolia Glymph, Nancy MacLean, Reginald Hildebrand, Susanna Michele Lee, Watson Jennison, Lisa Levenstein, and everyone affiliated with the Center for the Study of the American South. Thank you also to close friends Alyson Bancroft, Lindsay Starck, Brett Currier, Andrew Erickson, Mike Kelly, Kelly Pearson, and Beth Doran.
It has been a joy to work with Harvard University Press. Thank you in particular to my editor, Andrew Kinney, who helped navigate this manuscript to publication. Thanks also to all the others at HUP who have helped make possible the production of this book, especially Brian Distelberg, Olivia Woods, Stephanie Vyce, Louise E. Robbins, Michael Higgins, and Joyce Seltzer. Richard Feit provided tremendous copyediting services that greatly improved this book. Thanks, as well, to Wendy Muto at Westchester Publishing Services. Additional thanks to the anonymous reviewers who took the time to read and engage with my work.