I dedicate this book to the following people:

Leslie and Herman Curtis Jr.,

Sarah and Earl Lewis,

Hazel and Herman E. Curtis Sr.,

Joan and George Taylor, Nina and Sterling Sleet,

Gloria and Federick “Bud” Curtis,

Virginia and F. D. Johnson, Paul Lewis,

Donna and Eugene Miller,

Johnnie and Don Ricks,

Rosemary and Willie Swan,

Carol and Lawrence Anderson,

Laverne and James Cross Sr.,

Carolyn and Dan Evans,

Willie Frances and Robert James,

Dorothy and Theodore Johnson,

Tommie and Robert Epps Sr.,

Mr. and Mrs. Small of Liberty Street, James Wesley Sr.,

Harrison Edward Patrick,

James Cross Jr.,

LaRon Williams, Douglas Tennant,

Margaret Davidson, Roland Alums, John Nash,

Suzanne Henry Jakeway

and Alvin Stockard —

all of whom led and lead by example, all of whom have

been models of compassion, strength and love,

all of whom I’ll remember forever. grUhUMt4vQtCMkCutJbdnatMpzcixVmQ0uzx5ljO4iW9KDN188ZFqBhO3a7blrRN