As I was researching the hometown of the wife of a cousin today, I came upon the following interesting National Public Radio article about Covert, Michigan. I previously had no idea of Covert's historical significance during the Jim Crow era and after. Located in Van Buren County, Covert proved to be a part of the country that exuded racial tolerance and peaceful coexistence during a time when strife existed around it.

My Google search also led to a link for a book about the same area called "A Stronger Kinship," by Anna-Lisa Cox, Ph. D.:

http://www.astrongerkinship.com/synopsis.htm