It is 1875 in Texas, and Albert Waters takes pride in his image—prosperous merchant and plantation owner who freed slaves before the Civil War and gave them land afterward. Then his son Toby, ready to depart for Harvard Medical College, demands answers. Was his mother a slave?

Al and the Waters plantation co-operative of freedmen create a thriving community as they educate their children and work their land. They organize against political forces trying to regain control through rape, lynchings, and the rise of the KKK.

Al finds new life when Amelia arrives to rekindle their long-ago love. In the rapidly changing world swirling around him, Albert must confront the image he holds of himself if he wants to keep Toby and Amelia, the two people he loves most.