Widely hailed for its historical resonance, Daniel Black's The Sacred Place is a powerful examination of racial tensions in 1955 Mississippi. Visiting from Chicago, 14-year-old Clement is unfamiliar with social customs of the tiny town of Money. Striding into a general store, he offends the white store clerk by not placing his nickel in her hand. This seemingly innocuous act leads to a horrific murder and a conflict drawn along racial lines.

An African-American family living in Mississippi during the Depression of the 1930s is faced with prejudice and discrimination which its children do not understand.