The Promise of the Present and the Shadow of the Past

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[Barbara] did not fi t the classic model of an immigrant who becomes acquaintedwith America through school or work, learns English, falls in love with andadopts Americas values, and is helped along in many cases by an Americanspouse. First of all, I was not an American. We became American together; ifanything, rather than lead, I lagged behind. More important, like me, she came[from Germany] to this country fully bilingual, with considerable familiarity withits history and society, and a developed set of values. America fi t those set ofvalues; she did not have to discover them.This book is in large part for those familiar with Barbaras communityservice and political work who wish they had known her longer or moreclosely. This book is also for the many whom Barbara would havewished to know personallythose committed to community service who, likeherself, believed strongly in voting rights, human rights, and womens rights,who shared her limitless curiosity, and who loved history as much. Thebook is at the same time about my own journey. I traveled not only wherevershe went during this journey, but in her constellation. I met in the processher spiritual kin, people linked to her by history, alleys she had not goneinto, and relationships she had not fully explored. (Introduction)

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