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[ ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS L ike all book projects, this one benefited immensely from the professional and personal support of a number of extraordinary people. I would be remiss if I did not take this opportunity to acknowledge their contributions publicly. In particular, I am indebted to Matthew Lassiter, a mentor and friend, who read and offered feedback on every draft of the manuscript. His insights were signposts that helped me find my way and strengthened the arguments of this book. I am also grateful to a number of scholars, especially Matthew Countryman, Matthew Daley, Randal Jelks, Peter Kuznick, Earl Lewis, Jeffrey Mirel, Randy Monhollon, Abigail Stewart, and David Winter, to mention but a few, who read and reviewed all or parts of the manuscript. Their key suggestions helped shape this book. I thank all my colleagues in the History Department at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), for their support and camaraderie. In particular, I am indebted to John Curry, Joseph Andy Fry, David Holland, and Colin Loader for taking time out of their own busy schedules to read portions of the manuscript and provide instructive commentary at critical junctures. David Tanenhaus , my mentor since I arrived at UNLV, also deserves special mention for reading numerous drafts and providing a critical review of my work with kind support. Furthermore, I thank all my graduate students at UNLV for their engaging conversations, in particular Summer Burke and Colin FitzGerald. In addition, I thank all the archivists and librarians at the numerous archives I consulted, including the Bentley Historical Library; the Gerald R. Ford Library; the Michigan Regional Archives; the Hekman Library and Heritage Hall at Calvin College; Special Collections at the Kalamazoo College Library; the Library of Congress; the National Archives; and the Grand Rapids City Archives and Records Center, especially William Cunningham. Specifically, xviii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I thank everyone at the Grand Rapids Public Library who helped me collect and locate precious local documents. In particular, I am grateful to former city historian Gordon Olson for his guidance and research assistance and M. Christine Byron, Karolee Gillman, and Ruth Van Stee for assisting me at every turn. I also thank Ben Boss, Heather Edwards, Melissa Fox, Tim Gleisner, Will Miner, and Julie Tabberer for all their archival expertise. I am also grateful to all the people of Grand Rapids who took time to meet and speak with me, including but not limited to Vernis Schad, Roger Wilkins, and Helen Jackson Claytor, whom I had the pleasure of interviewing before her passing in 2005. I was also extremely fortunate to have a team of experts shepherd my book through production. My editor, Micah B. Kleit, enthusiastically embraced my ideas and extended me the opportunity to join the Temple University Press family. Micah surrounded me with a group of skilled professionals, including Joan S. Vidal, Lynne Frost, Gary Kramer, Irene Imperio Kull, and Linda Hallinger , who all graciously provided assistance in developing this book. In particular , I thank Joan S. Vidal and Lynne Frost for not only their technical expertise but also their patience, thoughtfulness, and kind words during a difficult period in my life. Additionally, I thank my friends and family. My friends encouraged me throughout the book project. Most especially, I convey my deep appreciation to Cameron Allen, Jemel Buck, Marko Krivokapic, Audu Mark, and Yannis Pappas , who kept me sane, made me laugh, and helped put everything in proper perspective. Also, a number of wonderful people have helped my family adjust to life in Nevada, including the Celano, Horinger, Jimenez, Magrisi, and both Martinez families. I thank them all for embracing my family and providing much-needed relief during this arduous process. I also extend thanks to my own family. I am extremely grateful for my many cousins, uncles, aunts, and extended church family members—too many to name here—who all contributed significantly to this book by setting high expectations for me and believing that I could approach them. I offer my gratitude to my wife’s family in Michigan for opening their homes to my family while I researched and wrote. (Thanks, Mom Cindy.) Finally, I extend special thanks to my sister, Renee, for her encouragement throughout the years and to my brother, Trey, for providing me with helpful guidance and support my entire life. I am grateful to Trey for reading every draft of the manuscript and providing useful feedback during our golf sessions. I also thank my beloved son, Kaleb, for bringing me tremendous joy on...

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