Publisher's Synopsis
Nearly a century after The Civil War, the United States is still divided over the issue of racial inequality, especially in the South. The Brown vs. Board of Education case was a landmark decision which ruled segregation in public school systems to be unconstitutional, but people of color still struggle to be treated as American citizens. The horrifying realities of life in the South have led to a campaign for equal rights that began with the successful bus boycotts in Montgomery, Alabama. Though the campaign was off to a great start, its flame has reduced drastically. Now the leaders and organizers of the movement must figure out what the next steps toward integration will be.
Ezell Blair is a naive, rebellious and often frantic teenager from Greensboro, North Carolina. Typically exhibiting coward behavior, Ezell believes he does not fit society's idea of a man. He has plans to discover his identity after graduating high school and detests the thought of attending North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in fear of living in his father's shadow forever. However, due to the racial tensions growing around him, Ezell may have to reconsider venturing alone in a world of unpredictable events.
