Nihilists on a death trip

The early chapters of the memoir show Wilkerson's evolution from socially concerned college student, through civil rights marching and community organising in poor black neighbourhoods, to a more confrontational form of direct action with SDS. Wilkerson describes the difficulties black and white militants found in working together, and the self-laceration of activists determined never to exploit their "white skin privilege", which brought them lighter sentences and less harsh treatment by the police.