Kotlowitz explains a story of two boys growing up in Chicago in a neighborhood filled with violence, racism, drugs, family issues, and so on. It describes the lives of Pharoah and Lafayette Rivers. They live in a housing project, Henry Horner Homes. Throughout there lives, they have seen disturbing things, that they have lost there dreams, scared about being dead, scared about gang shootings, scared about everything. Throughout this report, I will describe the difficulties encountered and what the school could of done to help Pharoah, Lafayette and others who were struggling.
One of the biggest things that they suffered was Racism. During that time you would hear it from mostly the cops, also it was the period of time where people were still racist on the black people. For instance, when Craig Davis, a singer that came to Henry Horner and made people for a moment make them feel the joy and make them think about things beside violence, etc. There was a show at club (this club sponsors activities, and fun for the children) he was walking down the street and went to pick up his music equipment. While he heading down the shop the cop were following in the car. He looked at the cops and said "I ain't gonna go to jail" and he ran. While he looked at the cops, he got scared and ran. At last the cop finally caught him and start saying slurs to him. While he was Craig was shot. The cop said that it was his fault, but we don't know the truth. Another example would be in order for the kids to get some money; they would go to the Wrigley Field to watch the people's car. One of the cop's came and told the kids to not to do the job and said "This ain't no place for a nigger". You can say that there were people that were racist and that was one of difficult things that they suffered from in Henry Horner. .
Can you imagine living in a home with rats in your basements, and dead cats, and the building totally dark, with no lobby? That's what they face, most of the people in Henry Horner.