Pages 6-41

Atticus Turner is a young African American man who served in the Korean War. As he drives from Florida to his hometown of Chicago, he must navigate the racist attitudes of white Americans. He reads The Safe Negro Travel Guide, written by his uncle George Berry, which advises African Americans on how to stay safe while travelling in the United States. A blown tire forces him to stop unexpectedly in a small town, where the racist townspeople refuse to help. He is forced to call an African American mechanic based 50 miles away. The mechanic invites Atticus to stay the night at his house and, that evening, they talk about their shared love for literature, particularly science fiction and horror. Atticus leaves early the next day, but he is pulled over by a state trooper. The trooper drags Atticus out of the car and roughly frisks him. Eventually, he allows Atticus to go but insists on taking The Safe Negro Travel Guide to ensure that Atticus does not stop anywhere before he reaches Chicago.

Atticus arrives in Chicago and drives immediately to the African American neighborhood where he was raised. He visits Uncle George at the publishing office and learns that his Aunt Hippolyta is conducting research for the travel guide in Wyoming.