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Acknowledgments It is with deep appreciation and sincere gratitude that I thank all of those who con- tributed to the completion of this project. It has been a long, difficult, and chal- lenging journey. Thank you to the more than 50 writers who so graciously worked on the individual chapters that completed this two-volume set. They are writers and scholars from around the nation, a few very seasoned professionals and others marking their fi rst publication. I am particularly grateful to those who contributed to Race in America: How a Pseudoscientific Concept Shaped Human Interaction and were willing to work on this project as well, including Donnetrice Allison, Erica Cooper, Laurence French, Ying Yang, Barbara Alice Mann, DeMond Shon- dell Miller, John Thomas Mills, Jon Allan Reyhner, and JeffriAnne Wilder. A very special thanks to acquisition editor Kimberly Kennedy and senior editor John Wagner. They guided this process from beginning to end, providing support and encouragement when I could not quite see the light at the end of the tunnel. Their skill and professional expertise in the writing and editing process proved invaluable. I would also like to thank the behind-the-scenes staff at Greenwood/ABC-CLIO publications. The book cover is beautiful and the copyediting process superb. To my daughter, Christina Bookhart, who was always present to serve as my in-house editor when I needed her to make important grammatical and spelling corrections, all I can say is, thanks for being my fi rstborn. And to my graduate assistant, Stephanie Smith, who spent hours reviewing bibliographies to make certain citations conformed to Chicago style, I thank you very much. Investing in writing for professional and academic purposes can take such a heavy toll on one’s personal life. Your free and available time is limited, infring- ing upon important family activities and obligations. To my children, sisters, brother, colleagues, and sister friends, I thank you for your ongoing support. Finally, a heartfelt thanks to my loving husband, Bill, who, on a day-to-day basis, offers me all the support I need. And I promise, this is my next to last book! Patricia Reid-Merritt