Its 1968 in Chicago at the height of the civil rights movement and thirteen year old Sam is torn between two men and their beliefs. On one side is his father, Roland Childs, a civil rights activist, lawyer, and close friend of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (he is a fictional character). His father believes you can effect change through nonviolence. On the other side is Sam's older brother and best friend, Stick. Stick has been drifting away from his relationship with Sam due his increasing involvement with the Black Panthers. Sam does not know what to believe or what side to choose. He wants to believe that nonviolence will change the bigotry the plagues his community; however, he is tired of waiting and watching as his friends and family suffer the consequences of racial discrimination. As tensions rise in his neighborhood, Sam finds himself involved in something more serious and dangerous than he ever expected. Will Sam follow his father or brother? Is he the rock or the river? The author includes historical notes about the Black Panthers and the civil rights movement.