One family's courageous struggle against prejudice and poverty. Cassie Logan and her family will never forget 1935. It is the time of the Great Depression, and young Cassie is about to learn the hard truths of what it means to be black. A friend, T.J., is condemned by an all-white jury. Neighbors are destroyed by wealthy, greedy landowners. A pretty cousin, Suzella, is humiliated for the crime of trying to pass as white. And old hatreds and new conflicts erupt to strain the close Logan family circle. But the bonds of love, understanding and spirited courage prove stronger than the ugliest prejudice, and Cassie looks to the future with pride, self-respect, and a new fire to survive. - Back cover.

Four black children growing up in rural Mississippi during the Depression experience racial antagonisms and hard times, but learn from their parents the pride and self-respect they need to survive.