Story Behind the Escape

A story lies behind the escape to freedom of two African American slaves in 1862, revealing how they can still leave their legacy even in a hate-driven era.

John Rutherford's Journey

One hundred years later, John Rutherford, a typical white American college student, comes of age dealing with the big questions in life. He faces, for the first time, the tense issue of race in America as well as the growing reality of the gay movement.

Freedom Summer and Tragedy

Recognizing the need to make a positive impact, one of his college friends decides to join the Freedom Summer project registering black voters in Mississippi. But tragedy ensues. For John and the rest of America, it is a dark period in history, including the assassination of President Kennedy, increasing racial conflict, and America’s military involvement in Southeast Asia.

John's Literary Aspirations

Eventually trying to succeed as a novelist, John gains support from Amanda, an African American woman in New York who becomes his literary agent. With shared interests and a desire to shape the world through powerful writing, he quickly falls in love with her, only to be drafted in the Vietnam War.

Themes of Social Movement

Footsteps explores how the social movement from hate to love, or from slavery to freedom, is a slow, arduous process. It takes commitment from individuals who care about people and want to work toward an enlightened society. This novel will lead readers hopeful of reaching that new day.