An Afro-Indigenous History of the United States

your laughs over food and general companionship over the years. As many
writers and academics know, this experience can be lonely and take you
away from your blood relatives, but I developed a set of relatives who have
my back through thick and thin. Thank you to Fred and Holly Hoxie. Fred
was my dissertation chair, but more than that, Holly and Fred treat me like a
son. Robert Warrior, who was a co-chair, helped me think through some of
these questions early on during my graduate school years.
Thank you to my brothas Bryce Henson, Kevin Whalen, and “E”
Eduardo Coronel. You all have been down like four flat tires through
everything. I have to thank my Los Angeles family: Liseth Amaya, Mama
Millie, Rafael Leonor, Marvin and Jessica Amaya, Lesly Flores, Liz and
Isabella “BellaMafia” Wright, Kat and Emma, Joel and Susean Ruiz,
Jennifer Carrillo, Victer and Edwin, Martin, Yoli, and Camila May Jauregui.
Big shout to Martin. Though he’s a USC Trojan, he read some of the
manuscript and gave good advice. I always enjoy the BBQs, random gettogethers,
and whiskey drinking. Gracias to Mama Coronel and Señor
Coronel for always letting me stay at the crib when I’ve visited. And the
food. Damn, she make some good food! I also have to say thank you to my
Chicago family, Mike Staudenmaier, Anne Carlson, Sophia, Nico, and
Malcolm. I am grateful for you all and am glad I always have a home in
Chicago!
Thank you to my colleagues at UCLA. Thank you to Robin D. G.
Kelley, who has been a brilliant mentor. Robin’s commitment to excellence
and unwavering belief in radical transformation has been an inspiration to
me, and I’m glad to have been able to learn from him. Thank you to the
UCLA staff: Eboni Shaw, Elliott Delgado, and Tricia Park. Thank you to
my UCLA colleagues: Randy Akee, Julian Anesi, Bryonn Bain, Karida
Brown, Scot Brown, Keith Camacho, Jessica Cattelino, Erin Debenport,
Ugo Edu, Aisha Finch, Lorrie Frasure, Mishuana Goeman, Sarah Haley,
Kelly Lytle Hernández, Peter Hudson, Marcus Hunter, Gaye Theresa
Johnson, Cheryl Keyes, Ben Madley, Uri McMillan, Safiya Umoja Noble,
Jemima Pierre, Shana Redmond, Desi Rodriguez-Lonebear, SA Smythe,
Shannon Speed, Angela Riley, and Ananya Roy, and Brenda Stevenson. In
ways small or large, directly or indirectly, you all have helped me think
differently about scholarship and the world.
I completed the bulk of this project during my time as a Mellon Mays
Fellow at the James Weldon Johnson Institute on Race and Difference at