Summary

It is June 1963, and the governor of Alabama stands in front of the school saying that segregation will last forever. World War II veteran Medgar Evans is killed by a white supremacy organization in Mississippi. In September, four young Black girls are killed in a church, but there will not be a trial for the murders for 14 years. Smith does not know about all of this, but now that he is leaving home to go to college, he will have an opportunity to learn about what he has never been privy to before.

When Smith arrives at college, one student, Harry, makes fun of him for being a rural boy, but another student, Saint Saffold, introduces himself and says they will be roommates. Most of the people Smith sees appear to be more worldly than he is, and when he arrives on campus...