“. . . but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know

that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character;

and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us,

because God has poured out his love into our hearts. . . .”

—Romans 5:3–5
 

The Great Depression was a difficult time for most Americans, and the difficulty was magnified if you were black and lived in the South.

Although many of the black families around Strawberry, Mississippi are sharecroppers, the Logan family owns the land they work. Their independence allows them to help other families in need, but also draws unwanted attention from their white neighbors. Another black family has been attacked by murderous “night men,” and the Logans begin to worry about their safety.

At school, Cassie Logan and her three brothers, Stacey, Christopher-John, and Little Man, battle a different kind of injustice. Each day as they walk to school, the bus driver from the white school swerves to splash them with mud or drive them off the road while the white children laugh. Tired of the daily mud-bath, the Logan children formulate a plan for revenge. The children’s satisfaction is short-lived, however, when the night men ride out again, and Cassie spends a sleepless night terrified that their actions have brought trouble to the family.

Cassie’s parents hope to teach her how to respond to the injustice she experiences, and when the night men come after a family friend, the Logans must find a way to stop the injustice without causing more violence. Through it all, Cassie comes to understand why the land is so important to her family, and she learns the value of perseverance in the most difficult times.

Companion Reader:
Arctic Explorer: The Matthew Henson Story