When the Depression strikes America, throwing milions out of work, 12-year-old Petey Williamson's family seems safe. Hadn't the boss promised Petey's father that he'd always have a job? But during the Depression, promises cannot always be kept, and Petey finds his family sliding rapidly into poverty. When Petey's much-admired cousin Steve starts working as a union organizer in the battle to improve conditions for workers, poverty turns into tragedy. Jamestown’s American Portraits explores the growth of different generations and cultures through the lives of young boys and girls. These titles are told from a diverse group of boys and girls, coming from different and unique backgrounds that represent America’s own diverse population, spanning from the Jamestown Settlement to the Civil Rights Movement.