The story is told in two parts, the first from the Viewpoint of the mother, Mamie Johnson, and the second from the viewpoint of the son, Li'l Boy. Set in the deep South, it is a portrait of a family that will not allow poverty and tragedy to bring it down. Mamie, the matriarch of the family, is a strong-willed, articulate, black woman, who puts the welfare of her family above all else. As the story begins, her husband is dead and she and her elderly father must try to provide for eight children. From the beginning, Li'l Boy, a twin, seems to stand out above the others, possessing something special that no one can put into words. The story follows the Johnson family through their growing up years, then takes us, from his own point of view, through Li'l Boy's young adulthood. He is drafted into the Army, serves in Vietnam, comes back to discover prejudice and hatred still exist at home, and lashes out in rage at a white man. Sentenced to one year in prison for the crime, Li'l Boy learns to deal with his feelings. He looks to 'Pa' Man, his grandfather, for inspiration after Mamie's death. After his release, he finds that doors still slam in his face, people still call him "nigger" and refuse to hire him, so he decides to open his own business with his brothers and sisters as partners. Their enterprise flourishes and the Johnsons are finally regarded with respect by all who know them.