Preface This book was inspired and written by myself, Marjorie K. Jones, my brother, Emrich C. Kenny and my best friend, Dr. Denise McAdory (who writes the conclusion and future outlook for Blacks' economic stability in America) stemming from life growing up in the South in Mobile, AL. A Lot of the focal points that are stressed in this book are of living in the South during the elate 40's, 50's, which to my knowledge, little has been written about; (1) Blacks' faith and religious beliefs int he 40's, 50's, and 60's, and early 70's. (2) The struggle Blacks' encountered trying to gain economic stability and self-identity. (3) The difficulties Blacks' were faced with in establishing status, values, earning a living, buying homes and land; only to have these things stolen or taken away from them by the White man; (not only stolen from Blacks' but other minorities, poor Whites, and Indians were robbed, etc.) (4) Growing up in a predominantly Black settlement called Down-the-Bay, AL and the devasting and after effects when the settlement was demolished and destroyed. The above listings are just a few of the happenings and occurrences that took place in the South during and after reconstruction and the Civil War. There may be others of you who wish to follow the path myself, my brother, and my friend took to regain our self-identity and to regain back in our possession some of the land stolen from us through the same judicial system that took it away legally by the law, but so unjustly to its rightful owners(s).