This book is about an African American family's civil rights struggles during the years of the Great Depression. The story starts out with the children of the Logan family, who are African American, go into the Wallace's store, which is owned by white people. Tom Bee another African American comes into the store to buy some things, and the owner Mr. treats them badly. Tom Bee calls Mr. Wallace by his first name which is John, which was seen as disrespectful during this time. Mr. Wallace then ends up shooting Tom Bee in the leg, but Tom Bee is still calling him by his first name.