In 1781, long before the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation, Bett and Brom, enslaved African American husband and wife, sued their owners for their freedom and won their case. Told through the eyes of Aissa, Bett's younger sister, this historical novel blends real events with realistic details of the day-to-day lives of Bett, Brom, their son, and Aissa. Shedding light and humanity on these unprecedented legal proceedings, Aissa's narrative provokes deep thought about just who the Constitution protects and what it means to declare that equality and freedom for all are the law of the land. Remarkable for its historical significance, the case, especially as imagined here by African American Walter, portends the painful intensity of the countless legal battles fought to win full rights for African Americans through the centuries and into the present.