The textile mills started closing their doors and moving overseas, people started leaving, and with them, all the jobs vanished.
-- Bakari Sellers (Introduction)

Importance: This line emphasizes the fact that Bakari Sellers grew up in a generally impoverished town: Denmark South Carolina. Although Bakari generally enjoyed his childhood, he was aware of the economic state of the town, especially as he grew older. In his political career, Bakari has actively highlighted issues of economic inequality in America. This book functions in part to shed light on this prevalent, often ignored issue.

Although my father’s generation, the Emmett Till generation, speaks through us and lives among us, I believe we still have to carry their torch.
-- Bakari Sellers (chapter 1)

Importance: To Bakari, his father (Cleveland Sellers) is a major symbol of the Civil Rights Era. Cleveland was an active leader in the Civil Rights Movement, and he made sure to educate his children about the history of racial...