A man who won't die for something is not fit to live. - Martin Luther King Jr

The white abolitionists and the African Americans assisting Mercer, as well as Mercer herself, all incurred risks in their decisions to oppose slavery. How were the risks similar and different for those who chose to resist injustice? Consider for yourself the circumstances in which you would take risks for the sake of a moral issue. Do you agree with King¹s sentiments expressed above?

Had white America really believed in its egalitarian declarations, it would have welcomed former slaves into its midst at the close of the Civil War. Indeed, had that happened, America would not be two racial nations today. - Andrew Hacker, Professor of Political Science, Queens College

How does Ms. Cary illustrate this historical phenomenon in her portrayal of the abolitionist movement?

Certainly it was no accident that slavery was the major moral issue the signers of the Declaration [of Independence] failed to address when they proclaimed liberty, equality and justice for all, and went home to oversee their slaves. Just as it is no accident that our public dialogue on race today is more a monologue of frustration and rage. - Kareem Abduil-Jabbar, 1996

Why is it important for Americans to learn about the history of racism in America? What lessons about our collective past are taught in Ms. Cary¹s book? What can these lessons teach us about ourselves as a nation today?