He joined the Brotherhood, into which his brother Jack initiated him. He was asked “How would you like to be the new Booker T. Washington” (305)? Even in that organization he was seen differently. He became a Negro leader aided by his upbringing, but was still trying to find himself while playing a figure he had agreed to join. They also turned against him when he attempted to give a speech. He discovers that they didn't inform him. The Liberty Paints plant is a representation of racial issues with their brand of pure white paint. The character Ras tries to reason with the narrator. He explains that the men on the street are fighting for the whites