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Acknowledgments At the end of the twentieth century, I began the daunting task of constructing a one-hundred year history of African America settlement that began during the nineteenth century, along with an exploration of this population’s contributions to the growth and development of Chicago. Along this tortuous path, I was aided by many persons and institutions through which personal contact the sharing of information and interpretation of thought and actions became the norm. The family historian of the Hall (Rev. Abram and Joanna) family, Mrs. Jeanne Boger Jones of Grand Rapids, Michigan, led the way into understanding how the trove represented in family histories provided insight into the “interior history” of black Chicago. In addition, Mrs. Elizabeth Mitcham Butler of the Mitcham family and Mrs. Libby Davis Topps of the Davis family, both of Chicago, rendered valuable assistance in discerning those essential elements in African American life needed to understand what W. E. B. Du Bois wrote of in The Souls of Black Folk as the “meanings of their lives.” Moreover, Doris Saunders of Jackson, Mississippi and Chicago shared her insight on African American polite society generally as well as about specific individuals. Jeff Ball of Chicago, a relative of the late Third Ward alderman Robert R. Jackson, proved a persistent witness to his relative’s accomplishments and contributions. The Rev. Leon Scott of historic Berean Baptist Church joined with the Revs. James and Corliss Moody of Quinn Chapel AME Church in showing the way toward appreciating the significance of religion in the lives of Chicago’s black population. Scholarly advice flowed as readers of this manuscript in its roughest form braved the author’s sometimes complex, often confusing, concepts and interpretations and rendered their valued criticisms and suggestions. Dean Lynn Y. Weiner of Roosevelt University and Pia Hunter of the University of Illinois at Chicago volunteered first and stayed the course to their credit and benefit. They were joined in this effort by Marionette Catherine Phelps who has proved a faithful and insightful reviewer. Moreover, Professors Clovis Semmes, Robert T. Starks, and Robert Howard, all members of the Black Chicago History Forum, demonstrated that organization’s valuable role as they provided insight and clarifications on key historical events in Chicago history. The late Dempsey Travis, one of the key contributors to modern black Chicago history, banker Billy Williams and businessman James O’Neal helped the author sort out many questions that arose about banking and business that appear in chapter 3. Acknowledgment must be accorded the staffs at the Harold Washington Library Center of the Chicago Public Library for their professional approach to scholarly research over many years. Their ranks included Theresa Yoder and Majag Walsh in Special Collections, Warren Watson and George Tibbits in the Reference Division, and Ronisha Epps and Claudia Armstrong in Microfilms. I am compelled to extend special recognition to Curator Robert Miller, Archivist Michael Flug and Beverly Cook at the Vivian G. Harsh Research Center of Afro-American History and Literature at the Chicago Public Library’s Carter G. Woodson Regional Library. This dynamic trio always stood ready to assist in mining the Harsh Collection’s many treasures, especially within the famed Illinois Writers Project. At the offices the Chicago Landmarks Commission, where the author serves as a member, Brian Goeken, Lisa Willis, Susan E. Perry, Terry Tatum, Eleanor Gorski and Beth Johnson provided needed assistance through their informed knowledge of Chicago’s architecture and design. Chicago’s extensive repositories of knowledge—the Newberry Library, the University of Chicago and Northwestern University—always opened their doors with staff support that was cordial and informed. Librarian Pia Hunter, assisted by microfilm technicians April Pittman and Delores Thomas, at the main library at the University of Illinois at Chicago gave generously of skills as this project proceeded. Thanks go out to Leroy Kennedy and Christopher Stewart at the Illinois Institute of Technology for their participation in searching out and providing visual evidence of black Chicago’s rise. Lastly, at my alma mater, Roosevelt University, I received continuous technical assistance from Helen Taylor, Dayne Agnew, Cheryl Williams-Sledge, Jaime Reyes, Vincent Perkins, Bernard Turner, Heidi Foster, Mary Foster, Chris Mich, Lynnett Davis and Michael Ensdorf as well as printing assistance from Wayne Magnus and Richard Woodfolk. The editorial and marketing staffs at the University of Illinois Press encouraged the production of this book, so loud huzzahs go out to acquisitions editor Joan Catapano along with Jennifer Clark and Ann Beardsley. The entire Reed family that...

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