Newspaper editor Bill Stamford, a former Confederate officer, and his graphic artist wife, Franny, use the pages of their newspaper to stand up for the newly won rights of North Carolina's freedmen. Their support earns the ire of the Ku Klux Klan, putting themselves and their two children in mortal danger. But Bill and Franny won't yield to Klan pressure, won't abandon their Black friends. Still, they must find a way to keep their kids safe.