Interview: Author David Halberstam is introduced by Wendy Wilkins, dean of the College of Arts and Letters and Stephen Rachman from the Department of English at Michigan State University. Rachman summarizes Halberstam's impressive career and praises the scope and depth of his writing. David Halberstam begins his lecture by talking about current events and the bombings in Kosovo. He expounds on the public reaction to this and some of the dangers of present day politics. Halberstam moves on to the main topic of his lecture, his civil rights book called The Children (1999). This book addresses the power of the law and the people who challenged it during the civil rights movement. Halberstam discusses the real leaders of the civil rights movement, the sons and daughters of the poorest, least privileged people in America. These young people had to fight against great odds to get the rights they were entitled to. He gives credit to the quiet leaders, particularly Jim Lawson, who raised the morale and consciousness of young African Americans so that they could change their future. The author emphasizes the incredible courage and faith of these young civil rights leaders. He explains the media's role in the movement and the importance of the earlier decades of the twentieth century, particularly the 1950s. Halberstam gives a list of who he considers to be the top political leaders of the twentieth century. He also talks about the dynamic nature of American politics and culture. There is a common theme of power and causality behind all of his writings. Halberstam discusses the difficulties the United States has gone through to get to the point it is in terms of civil rights. Although these difficulties have been overcome, they cannot be forgotten. Questions from the audience lead Halberstam to discuss his career in journalism in the south. He gives advice to young people looking to make a difference. Halberstam concludes his lecture by discussing his fellow journalist Scotty Reston, the conflict in Kosovo, and Kennedy.