Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry Book Notes Summary

Together, the Logans pick cotton. Suddenly, off in the distance, Cassie sees her father coming down the road with another man. Overjoyed, the children run to him, then become shy when he introduces them to Mr. Morrison, who is very tall and strong-looking. Papa says that he can only stay until tomorrow, but that Mr. Morrison will be living with them from now on.

Mama seems relieved to have a man around while her husband works on the railroad, and the children wonder why. The next day in church, someone announces that one of the Berrys has died. A woman explains why he was burned: he was buying gas when some drunken white men decided he had been flirting with a woman they knew. They attacked him on his way home and burned him and his relatives. Hearing this, Papa announces that no one in his family will ever shop at the Wallace store (a store owned by racist white people.) His children agree to obey him. "Papa always meant what he said--and he swung a mean switch." Chapter 2, pg. 41

Topic Tracking: Family 2
Topic Tracking: Racism 3
Topic Tracking: Quiet 5