Jeffrey D. Gonda - Unjust Deeds: The Restrictive Covenant Cases and the Making of the Civil Rights Movement

This project was long in the making and benefited at countless points from the generosity and effort of so many individuals and organizations. The combined support of Yale University, Syracuse University, and the Giles K. Whiting Foundation made possible much of the research and writing that has come together herein. Assistance from the American Historical Associations Littleton-Griswold Research Grant program underwrote key archival research as well.

I have been fortunate to work with an outstanding team at the University North Carolina Press as part of the Justice, Power, and Politics Series. Rhonda Williams and Heather Thompson have been supportive from the moment they laid eyes on the manuscript, and Brandon Proia has brought a deft touch, keen enthusiasm, and a whole lot of man-hours to these pages. The editors believed in this project from the start, and I am grateful for all of their hard work toward putting it into print. Two excellent readers, Rob Smith and Susan Carle, both helped transform this into a stronger book with their encouraging observations, and they have my profound thanks. I am especially indebted to Susan Carle for her extensive and thoughtful comments. She understood the mission of this work with a depth and clarity that was invigorating and that made the text better at every turn.

I owe additional thanks to the people who sustained, challenged, and shaped this work from its inception. At Princeton I benefited from the guidance of Kevin Krusewho first introduced me to the covenant casesDaphne Brooks, Valerie Smith, Eddie Glaude, and Noliwe Rooks. Saje Mathieu inspired me to pursue as a scholar the issues discussed in this book. At Yale I received guidance of a caliber for which I cannot sufficiently express my gratitude. The intellectual fingerprints of John Witt, Jennifer Klein, Jonathan Holloway, and Glenda Gilmore are everywhere in these pages. Jonathan and Glenda were tireless in their efforts to give my writing and my scholarship more nuance and impact. I am forever grateful for their investment in me and for the sterling examples they provided of the power of mentorship. Without them I would not be where I am today. Rick Brooks, Carol Rose, Rick Sander, and Nathan Connolly all shared their work with me along the way and provided illumination and encouragement. The advice and support of Elizabeth Alexander, Ed Rugemer, David Blight, Steve Pitti, Naomi Lamoreaux, Bill Rando, Kathleen Cleaver, Wendy Plotkin, Dan Sharfstein, and Randall Kennedy all made the journey smoother.

A great team of young scholars were intellectual partners as this book took shape, including Ryan Brasseaux, Erin Wood, Allison Gorsuch, Betsy Beasley, Caitlin Verboon, Julia Guarneri, Tafari Lumumba, Lerone Martin, and Chris Bonner. Delaina Price kept me going. Lauren Pearlman offered insight on D.C. and thought-provoking conversations. Sam Schaffer gave wise counsel. Katherine Mooney watched out for me at conferences and on a research trip to Lexington. I found a kindred spirit in Brandon Terry who lent his friendship, time, and expertise to this project for eight years. I have also been blessed with generous and supportive colleagues at Syracuse who have helped move this project along. My thanks go out to Carol Faulkner, Michael Ebner, Andrew Cohen, Keith Bybee, Tom Keck, Grant Reeher, Dave Van Slyke, Elisabeth Lasch-Quinn, Gladys McCormick, Norman Kutcher, Peggy Thompson, Drew Lipman, and a host of other folks who walk the halls here. The institutional support from the Maxwell School and Campbell Public Affairs Institute has been tremendous.

The research for this project took place at an array of institutions and with the help of a number of archivists. Special thanks are owed to Bill Frank of the Huntington Library, Seth Kronemer of the Howard University Law School Library, the staff of the Moorland-Spingarn Archives, Sam Rushay and Randy Sowell at the Truman Presidential Library, and Michelle McKinney at the Wright Museum in Detroit.

To my family, who have listened to me talk about restrictive covenants over dinners and holidays for nearly a decade, I owe more than I can put into words. Their support, love, and patience have been boundless. This work is a testament to the inspiration and encouragement they have provided throughout. Noma Ndlovu, Brandon Nicholson, Brandon Terry, and Jonathan Beauford have been a part of that family for years, and their generosity of spirit made this journey possible. Lastly, I could not have made it to this moment without my wife, Jedidah Isler, whose courage, brilliance, kindness, faith, and love have sustained me from start to finish and beyond. She kept me sanewhich was no easy taskinspired me to reach further and brought joy to each day. You are more than I ever knew to ask for in life. I look forward to all that awaits.