Biography and the Black Atlantic

Acknowledgments

acknowledgments Several years ago, as we both were working on own projects reconstructing the life stories of particular members of the African diaspora, we were struck by the number of other historians at work on similarly biographical approaches to the Black Atlantic. We thought the time was right to reflect on the appeal of this biographical turn and to consider the potential and limitations of this kind of approach. So we invited a disguished group of historians of Africa, the Americas, and Europe to contribute essays to this volume, with the intent of bringing together a variety of case studies and methodological reflections. We were delighted by the enthusiastic response to this proposal, and by the all-star team of historians who generously offered to share their work and thoughts. This group effort was greatly enriched by the National Humanities Center, which graciously agreed to provide a forum for the contributors to come together, share their essays, and discuss their common interests over the course of a three day symposium. For making this gathering possible and for facilitating such a rich and productive dialogue, we are very grateful to the National Humanities Center. We would particularly like to thank Kent Muliken, former director of the fellowships program, for his support of our proposal and for his guidance and enthusiasm for the project. Pat Schrieber organized the event itself with her characteristic aplomb and attention to detail. Don Solomon handled public outreach and shepherded us through our television debut. Karen Carroll lent us her rigorous editorial eye. We thank them and everyone else at the Center, including director Geoff Harpham, for the extraordinary support they provide for scholars and their work. From start to finish, the scholars who shared their work in this volume made the endeavor a great pleasure. We appreciate their illuminating scholarship , their professional courtesy, and their good company. Thanks also to Vincent Brown for his smart and helpful comments on the first draft of Acknowledgments 370 our Introduction. At the University of Pennsylvania Press, Bob Lockhart, assisted by Rachel Traube, enthusiastically welcomed and oversaw the volume . Project editor Alison Anderson guided the book through publication smoothly. Nora Doyle proofread the manuscript and produced the index with great efficiency and intelligence. We are deeply grateful to all of them for sharing this journey with us. ...