Anna Deavere Smith discusses and demonstrates her unique character portrayals from her works "Fires in the Mirror" and "Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992."

William Bradford Huie discusses his novel The Klansman. Includes recordings of interviews from Rev. Paschal Carlton, an unknown Alabama cab driver, and an unknown woman of Birmingham, Alabama. Includes songs "Be A Man, Join the Klan," and "Move Them Niggers North."

Discussing the book "Manchild in the Promised Land" with Claude Brown. Brown also discusses growing up in Harlem, New York as an African American man. Includes a clip of a man speaking from the county jail. Includes a song sung by Mahalia Jackson. Includes a clip of children singing.

Peter Sellars talks about his production of "The Merchant of Venice." Peter Sellars also compares Los Angeles California to the world of "The Merchant of Venice". Sellars also discusses the history of the Jewish people, immigrants, the ghetto, and race relations.

South African writer and political activist Nadine Gordimer joins Studs Terkel to talk about her book “A Guest of Honor,” a novel that explores African politics in a post-colonialism era. As an introduction to their conversation, Terkel plays a clip of an interview with Conor Cruise O’Brien, where an interaction with former Ghanaian president Kwame Nkrumah is discussed.

John Baldwin talks about his book "The Evidence of Things Not Seen" in which discusses the Wayne Williams Atlanta child murders of 1979-1981. This record is part of the Studs Terkel Almanac.

Interviewing novelist and fighter for civil rights for all, James Baldwin and discussion on the book "Nobody Knows My Name more notes of a native son". They discuss the book and Mr. Baldwin's political beliefs and his work towards change in the civil rights movement.