il's parents finally decide to build a home in the all-white section of town. After having a white developer buy them the land (because that was the only way they could get around unspoken policies of racism) they then rebuff numerous offers from their white neighbors to buy them out and eventually the Henry's move into their home.
             This move is very difficult on the family at the time, particularly Henry's parents. Because they are black people who have money and are educated they are especially looked down upon and isolated from this previously all-white community. Initially they were still getting over the emotional damage that was caused by Mary's rape. In other ways they struggled as well. John, Henry's father went to the neighbors to try and greet them "my father got little satisfaction when he visited our white neighbors on those cool autumn nights after dinner – only fear and empty words about declining property values" (Pg.146.) Their social outings especially in the first years in the community were only with other black couples, playing cards and listening to music at someone's house. But this house was very important to Henry's father. He never considered not living in such a community "because of everything we went through...because of what it meant, because it was bigger than us" (Pg. 147.)
             Neil is six years old at the time of the move and spends the rest of his childhood growing up in this comfortable suburban setting. While growing up in such an environment is what many parents hope to provide their kids, Neil was largely isolated from other black children, the only other black student at his school being his older brother Wayne. Such a racially isolated childhood had drastic effects on Neil throughout his life.
             The effects of growing up in such surroundings are not as obvious in Henry's childhood as they become later in life, but...