Learn more about the Tight Knit series from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation at tightknit.org.

Tight Knit is hosted by Shannon Cason. Our supervising producer and editor is Sea Stachura and our executive producer is David Leins.

This episode was produced and reported by Rob St. Mary, Cary Junior II, Jack Filbrant and Patrick Bernas. Sound design by Conor Anderson. Music supervision by Sam Beaubien. Music from Blue Dot Sessions. Video production by Jonathan Deschaine.

We heard archival material from the U-S National Archives, C-SPAN, NPR, the Internet Archive and the Dallas Federal Reserve Bank. 

This season of Tight Knit is produced for the Ralph C Wilson Jr. Foundation by Lafayette American and WDET, Detroit’s NPR Station.