When Baldwin moved to Paris, he left to escape America. However, when he arrived, he realized his presence there only solidified his status as an American. Now in the American South, Baldwin faces a new aspect of his American identity. He wonders at the bravery and strength needed by the children and adults challenging the racist systems of the South while visiting a 15-year-old boy named G. who recently integrated into a white school. Despite the mistreatment he faces at the school, the boy and his mother are resolved that he will stay. G. tells Baldwin that the education he received at his old school was abysmal.

While speaking with the principal, Baldwin gains a more comprehensive understanding of what is happening in the school. The principal tells Baldwin that integration is new for him. While he will do his duty, he does not fully understand why Black children would want to attend white schools. Baldwin asserts that segregation allows white people to create their own idea of who Black people are. They live in a blissfully ignorant way, separated from the reality of their racism. The principal suggests to Baldwin that the North has its own set of problems, and Baldwin agrees.