I thank Chris Lim and Sarah Raff, ideal friends. Chris is the perfect comrade; his integrity, hilarious sense of humor, passionate beliefs, and friendship have encouraged and urged me on. I love Sarah Raff’s luminous mind and sly brilliance, and send a hug to Aphra. I also want to express my deep affection and admiration for James Sheehan and Margaret Lavinia Anderson. Jim and Peggy welcomed me into their home, a site of warmth, wit, generosity, genius, and good cheer.
I am grateful to the generous people I have met in Arkansas and Mississippi. Peggy Webster has been a dear friend, offering music, a huge heart, and kindness. I was devastated by the loss of Maude Cain Howe and Jimmy Webster and think fondly of Maude’s open and active mind. Thanks to Doug Friedlander and Anna Skorupa, who are still in the Delta, and whose dedication fills me with admiration. I love Grace Hu’s spirit, loyalty, and wry observations. Noam Osband’s humor, spirit, and poetry club were uplifting. Cathy Cunningham’s dedication, warmth, and boundless energy are inspiring. Monique and Brian Miller are rock stars: I’m grateful for their friendship and thoughtful conversations. Amy Charpentier shepherded me through teaching, and her compassion and warmth have always inspired admiration. I’m in awe of Maisie Wright and Todd Dixon, who arrived the year I left and are both now principals in the Delta. Thanks to Ben Steinberg and Alexandra Terninko for their kindness and generosity. Mike Martin and Edlyn Smith, my mentors at Teach for America, were exceptional and dedicated. Sanford and Amanda Johnson, in Mississippi, have always inspired me with their passion and energy. I’m in awe of John Ruskey’s work at the Quapaw Canoe Company and his joy in expanding knowledge of the Mississippi River and commitment to environmental justice. Orlena Hill’s love, faith, and sense of humor are fantastic. I thank Elijah Mondy for his generosity, help, and generally enlightened state of being. Thanks to Joseph Whitfield for his generosity in speaking with me and for his inspiring words. Thanks also to Jacob and Katie Austin, Holly Peters, Harris Golden, Amoz Eckerson, Martin Mudd, Tom Kaiser, Luke van de Walle, Orlena Hill, Dr. Joyce Cottoms, the First Presbyterian Church of Helena, John Bennetts, Ann and John King, Carissa Godwin, Suzanne Rowland Brothers, Sarah Campbell, Emily Cook, Carrianne Scheib, Lauren Rush, Liselotte Schluender, Zipporah Mondy, Ollie Neal, Steve Mancini, Jay Barth, Warwick Sabin, Richard Wormser, Catherine Bahn, Ida Gill, Michael Steinbeck, Krystal and Michael Cormack, John Hsu, Joshua Biber, and Ron Nurnberg. Thanks to the Boys and Girls Club of Phillips County and Jason Rollett for their support and work; the Phillips County Library; Joshua Youngblood at the University of Arkansas; and the Arkansas History Commission and Tim Schultz for providing microfilm on Helena. I thank Jeannie Whayne for sharing her lovely spirit and consummate knowledge about the history of the Arkansas Delta.
I am grateful to my agent, Sam Stoloff, at the Frances Goldin Literary Agency. Sam is the greatest. Ever since I met Sam, I’ve been sure I’m in safe hands and, over the years, my admiration for his virtues has only deepened. I thank Sam for his patience and vision, honesty and wise instincts, graciousness and conviction. He is a champion, mentor, and friend. I also thank the wonderful Ilena Silverman, whose warmth and insight I am grateful for. Thanks to everyone at Frances Goldin, in particular Matt McGowan.
At Random House I thank Hilary Redmon, my brilliant editor. Thanks, Hilary, for being all perfection: meticulous, thoughtful, incisive, conscientious, and uplifting. Hilary’s empathy and vision radiate, and I felt her love on the pages everywhere. I wouldn’t have finished without her encouragement. I am also deeply grateful to David Ebershoff for acquiring this book and believing in the project: David’s penetrating insights, guidance on structure, and generosity were essential, and I am forever in his debt. I am grateful for Kathy Lord’s copyediting, which reflected precision and care, Lucy Silag and Catherine Mikula for their insight and effervescence, Jess Bonet for her terrific guidance, Molly Turpin for her tireless support, and the stellar team at Random House, including Kelly Chian and Caitlin McKenna. I thank Robin Schiff for her jacket design and Alessandro Gottardo for his cover illustration. Andy Ward provided critical comments on my draft. I am grateful for the support and generosity of Susan Kamil, Tom Perry, and Gina Centrello.
I would like to express my thanks to Zennor Compton at Pan Macmillan for her support and Jon Butler for h is warm encouragement.
I wrote part of the book while working at Centro Legal de la Raza in Oakland, an immigrants’ rights nonprofit, and I am grateful for the inspiration my colleagues offered daily: Esmeralda Izarra, Patricia Salazar, Lindsey Wheeler Lee, Laura Polstein, Luis Salas, Kyra Lilien (and Leo and Alex!), Nancy Hanna, Sarah Martin, Jennifer Miller, Bianca Sierra, Juan Vera, Paul Chavez, Carlos Almanza, Abby Figueroa, and Jesse Newmark, as well as the unstoppable duo of Elizabeth Cortez and Fernando Flores. I thank Esmeralda, my first friend in Oakland, for her soulful laughter, generosity, profound capacity to love, and all the pisco sours, and Jesse for being my idea of a real hero—fearless, uncompromising, rooted in community organizing, and deeply empathetic. Thanks, Jesse, for introducing me to Centro, offering clarity during my time as a confused law student, and for that epic evening in the Oakland dive bar. With love for Britton Schwartz, Jalen, and Sonora. I also thank Jody Lewen for her tremendous leadership at the Prison University Project (PUP), the staff at PUP, and the students at San Quentin Prison for the searching intelligence and preparation that they brought to the classroom.