The Color of a Lie

Calvin wants to make Lily proud, but he’s also afraid. Eugene reminds him of a younger Robert, who didn’t think anything could harm him. Since Heritage can’t legally deny any applications sent to the school, but they also won’t give applications to Black students, they ask Calvin if he’ll get the applications. Calvin tells Eugene and Harry about his relationship with Emmett Till.

Eugene asks Calvin to take them to a CORE meeting in Virginia, using his passing privilege to drive them safely. Calvin thinks he can do it if he convinces his parents that he’s spending the night at Alex’s after Heritage’s dance, and he convinces Alex to cover for him.

He offers to walk Lily home after the meeting. Since her enrollment, white people have been intimidating white families to prevent them from moving into the integrated community, and they’ve also been intimidating Black students to keep them from enrolling at Heritage. Calvin sees a small mob of white people yelling outside Lily’s house. He walks her to the back of the house, and she kisses him before going inside.

Near the end of Calvin’s shift, a group of men come to meet Mr. Vernon. Calvin recognizes them from the day Lily started at Heritage. Sharon tells Calvin that her husband won’t let her keep her job if she doesn’t prepare dinner, and she asks if he can help the men. Calvin reflects on how the isolation and expectation of domestic work affect people like Sharon and his mother.

At Sharon’s desk, Calvin reads the documents she left for Vernon. One is from the National Association of Real Estate Boards about the implementation of redlining practices. He reads an official Levitt & Sons letter about their new towns, outlining their strategy of selling Black families houses on the outskirts of town. He realizes that real estate, banks, and local governments are working together against integration. Calvin sees a letter from Vernon on Heritage stationary about strategies for preventing Black students from enrolling.

When Mr. Vernon arrives, Calvin gives him the documents and leaves. Alex gives Calvin a ride home. When Calvin doesn’t speak, Alex remarks on how different he is from Ben, who talks nonstop. They hesitantly begin to talk about their interests. Alex confesses that he hates sports and likes comic books. Calvin says he likes baseball and jazz. Alex asks if Calvin likes working for Vernon; Calvin dissembles, asking if Alex knows what happened at his house to the previous residents.

Alex explains the movement to chase out the Sampsons. Alex’s father was the Sampsons’ ally and supporter. Mrs. Sampson was mysteriously killed by a car with no witnesses, and then the family disappeared. Alex makes Calvin promise not to tell anyone he told him.

When Calvin’s father drives him to work, Calvin asks him what he knows about the former residents of their home. Calvin knows that a white Army friend of his father helped him get a VA loan and get fast-tracked for a home. He is suspicious of his father’s knowledge and of why Vernon hired Calvin.

At work, Calvin makes conversation with Barbara, hoping to get information. She admits that the bank always denies Black families homes. Calvin asks why Vernon won’t sell them homes in Levittown. She doesn’t answer directly but seems interested in him.

When everyone else is in meetings, Calvin goes through filing cabinets. Finding a locked one, he gets the keys from Vernon’s desk, unlocks it, and goes through the notes. Vernon has anti-integration documents outlining when they will turn to violence. Calvin hears voices and hurries to put things back, but Barbara catches him, looking for him on Vernon’s behalf. Barbara covers for him.

At school, Mary corners Calvin, who asks him to the dance. He sees Darren picking on Lily, getting a group of boys to surround her. Ben bumps Lily, and Darren knocks her books from her arms. Calvin goes to help Lily. A teacher, Miss Brower, comes to help. When Lily goes to the nurse, Miss Brower follows her, telling Calvin what instructions to give their class.

Lily leaves school. At the end of the day, Calvin talks to Miss Brower, who is upset. She is sympathetic to Lily but says the town isn’t ready to integrate. Calvin notices the hypocrisy of how she advocates for a woman’s right to work but not for Lily to attend Heritage. Miss Brower says that Calvin is a good kid for watching after Lily but that those actions can be dangerous in Levittown. Calvin’s desires to help integrate Heritage are renewed.

Lily doesn’t come back to school. Calvin realizes that he has to go with Eugene to CORE and make a plan before Lily can return. At work, Vernon tells Calvin that Barbara has been fired. Vernon Reality stopped offering homes to Black families because of Lily attending Heritage. The homes they would sell to the families would put them in a district that would allow them to enroll their children at Heritage if they wanted. Another company, Clayborn and Sons, will sell houses in the integrated district instead. Calvin realizes that’s where his father works.

Calvin asks Barbara if Vernon is doing anything illegal. Calvin can tell that she knows he is passing, and he asks about the Capewoods. She tells him about a massacre undertaken there by “slave catchers.” Barbara took the job with Vernon so that she could strategically sell houses in that area. Barbara offers to pack her things and “not notice” Calvin looking through Vernon’s files again.

He reads through them slowly, understanding more about how Levittown built itself up as a “white utopia.” Calvin sees a file of research investigations into families opposing Vernon, including Alex’s family, the Washingtons. Vernon’s allies were investigating whether they were Jewish, but the case is now closed. Calvin steals the file on the Sampsons.

Calvin goes to Alex’s house. Alex mentions that Calvin seems different when Lily is around. He deflects by claiming that segregation isn’t as pervasive in his hometown. Alex says he’s from New York City. He shows Calvin some of his favorite comics, and they read, sharing their favorite scenes.

Calvin plans to go to the dance with Alex, Ben, and their dates; tell his parents that he’s staying at Alex’s; and leave early after saying that he feels like a fifth wheel. When they arrive, Calvin is shocked to see Mary with them.

At the dance, Calvin watches to see how white kids dance. He’s roped into dancing with Mary. She compliments his eyes and touches his hair. When she brings up the possibility of going on a date, he tells her he’s interested in someone else. Mary accuses Calvin of using her as a “cover” for having a crush on Lily. She’s been watching him come home late and guesses that he’s seeing Lily. He defends himself against Mary and leaves. On the way out, he asks Alex to cover for him with Ben and his parents.

Calvin sees Ben’s bike, stolen from Harry, on a rack and rides it to Sojourner.