In Black and White: The Life of Sammy Davis Junior (92 page)

Peter Gethers, my editor, made this book so much better by bringing uncommon smarts and gracenotes to it. When I was deep into the project, and told him, with a burst of excitement, that the story of Sammy was the story of America itself, he said—as if he knew all along—Yes, it is. Year to year, his implorings were: Explore what made Sammy Sammy. Peter and Sonny Mehta of Alfred A. Knopf were out in front of the Sammy renaissance, and met me at the crossroads five years ago. I am more than grateful to both. Claudia Herr, assistant to Peter Gethers, was unflappable and wise. Others whom I thank at Knopf for their much-appreciated contributions: Abby Weintraub, Anthea Lingeman, Kathy Zuckerman, and Paul Bogaards.

Esther Newberg is my literary agent. She has cared unfailingly about my writing life. She works hard and with style, returns every phone call, and simply gets it done.

The following comprises those whom I have known over the years, before this book, but who were there, during this book, swinging a lantern in my direction, never too busy to offer a kind word, an ear. My sincere thanks to: Gerald Bell, Tina Moody, Jonathan Kaufman, Jack Winchester, Jerry Roberts, Matt Storin, Ceil Hendrickson, Elizabeth Graceffo, Peter Sheehan, Marty Berg, Michael D’Orso, David Warsh, Suzanne Kreiter, Sabrina Goodwin Monday, Lisa Frazier Page, Howard Manly, Dick Lehr, John G. Craig, Jr., Patty Bailey, Sue Callahan, Jim Vandervort, Greg Moore (now editor of the
Denver Post
), Ann Scales, Sanj Kharbanda, Paul Hendrickson, Elizabeth Calderone, Tony Stigger, Larry Young, Steve Flannigan, Mitch Zuckoff, David Lieber, Bob Hart, Tom Mulvoy, Carol Tyler, Serena Williams, Debra Dickerson, Ginger Rhodes. Kindnesses also came from Kathy Megan, Tyler Bridges, Julia Keller, Mary Jo Green, Jerry Hammond, Warren Tyler, Jim Gavin, Peggy Curran, John Weeks, Mike Curtin, Peter Guralnick, D’Lana Lockett, and Sean Mullin.

Tommy Spurlock, and Susan Hicks Spurlock, provided a home away from home. Always an extra chair at the dinner table—“oh come on over!”—Sammy crooning on the stereo.

Dick Rhodes believed in this project from the beginning.

Lynn Peterson saved the day.

Phil Bennett indulged my long talks about Sammy, read parts of the manuscript when asked, and offered scintillating insights.

Andrew Sheehan was ferocious in his support.

Stan Grossfeld, and Stacey Kabat: bless you.

The Yaddo Foundation provided a fellowship to write in the woods.

For years I had a writing space—ever grateful for it—at the
Boston Globe
. Now I’m at the
Washington Post
. The landing was made especially gentle by my immediate editor, the estimable Gene Robinson—and also by Len Downie, Steve Coll, Milton Coleman, Deb Heard, Steve Reiss, Linton Weeks, Marcia Davis, Jabari Asim, Don Graham, Bo Jones, and Kevin Merida. They each have my gratitude.

Wil Haygood is a staff writer for the Style section of the
Washington Post
. For seventeen years he was a feature writer, and national and foreign correspondent at the
Boston Globe
. He is a native of Columbus, Ohio. Among his honors are: the New England Associated Press Award; the Sunday Magazine Editors Award for feature writing, which he was awarded twice; and the National Association of Black Journalists Award for Foreign Reporting, which he was also twice awarded. Haygood has also received the James Thurber Literary Fellowship, a Yaddo Fellowship, and an Alicia Patterson Foundation Fellowship. In 2001 he was a visiting Foster Distinguished Writer at Penn State University. He is also the author of
Two on the River; King of the Cats: The Life and Times of Adam Clayton Powell, Jr
. (named a
New York Times
Notable Book); and
The Haygoods of Columbus: A Family Memoir
, which was awarded the Great Lakes Book Award. He lives in Washington, D.C.