Studs Terkel interviews Fred Christy about how he hopes to change the young lives of African-American. He also travels with Fred to places of African-American community.

Terkel comments and presents a musical performance by Wynton Marsalis

Studs interviews Willie Dixon and Koko Taylor about the blues. They discuss their song "Insane Asylum" and their work together. Dixon uses his song "Little Red Rooster" to help explain how the blues are created from life experiences. Taylor reflects on singers like Willie Dixon, Memphis Minnie, and others who influenced her desire to sing the blues. Taylor also discusses European audiences and blues influence there. The musical numbers are removed from this edited version of the original recording.

Mr. Brashler converses with Studs about his research for the novel and the players he had spoken with to gather information for the book. The novel tells the story of a baseball team that revolts from a tyrannical Negro League owner and spends the 1939 season barnstorming around the Midwest. Includes two excerpts of a Cool Papa Bell interview talking about their travel as "barnstormers". Studs and Mr. Brashler read several exchanges of dialogue from the book.

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."

Author William Bradford Huie discusses his book "Three Lives for Mississippi;" reads passages from book.

Preacher Will Campbell discusses and reads from his book “Forty Acres and a Goat: A Memoir” and recounts his experience during the Civil Rights movement in the South. Studs plays “His Eye Is On The Sparrow” - Mahalia Jackson (1958).

Virginia Collins said her grandfather believed if the parish communities could afford to provide a white teacher for white school children, then the parishes of Black communities must do the same for the Black children. Collins also talks about her son Walter's legal case and his being in jail for violating six counts of induction to the army.

Studs interview with Virgil Thomson about his career as a music composer. Thomson shares his work with Gertrude Stein in operas "Mother of Us All" and "Four Saints In Three Acts." He discusses his preference for black artists. Thomson describes his work in documentary films such as "Plow That Broke the Plains." He also shares information about the cajun music "Squeeze Box" in the film "Louisiana Story." This edited version does not include the music pieces.

Studs Terkel interviews writer Toni Morrison. This interview begins with a reading from the book, "Sula" by Morrison Morrison continues to read excerpts from her novel "Sula" and discusses her literature.

Toni Morrison talks about her books and themes of memory, excessive love, possession, and recovery. It includes an excerpt from an interview with Emanuel Dunn.

Wicker discusses the events at the center of his book, "A Time to Die: The Attica Prison Revolt." The discussion also covers Wicker's thoughts on his responsibility as a journalist to his fellow man. Both Wicker and Terkel read excerpts from the book. (includes excerpts from T2576, 1970 Nov. 20).

Tom Wicker discusses his book "A Time to Die: The Attica Prison Revolt", published in 1975. Wicker talks about his experience as one of those summoned as an unbiased observer.