Set in 1930s America, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry follows the African-American Logan family as they experience various negative effects of racism and social norms of the time, despite their relatively privileged financial positions.

A 2003 study by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality shows that African-American and Hispanic children face much higher odds of being overweight than non-Hispanic white or Asian-American and Pacific Islander children.

This group included 48 percent of all African-American children, 16 percent of all non-Hispanic white children, 13 percent of Asian/Pacific Islander children, and 25 percent of children of Hispanic origin.

Multiple sex partners were noted more frequently among African-American students (41.7% of males and 16.3% of females), compared to Hispanic (20.5% of males and 11.2% of females) and Caucasian (11.5% of males and 10.1% of females) students.

More than one half of African-American children, nearly one third of Hispanic children, and one fifth of Caucasian children live with a single parent because of divorce and unmarried mothers.