The death of Michael Griffiths and the assault of three other black men in Queens, NY at the hands of a group of white teens sparked community protests throughout New York City and eventually erupted into the media storm that became known as the Howard Beach Incident. In an informative monologue, writer and activist, Thulani Davis approaches a question that much of the media at the time had left untouched: what caused this event? Davis looks into acts of racial violence across the country and analyzes the media coverage these incidents received. Davis eventually concludes that the hatred and violence that caused Howard Beach were, all too tragically, part of a larger American racial problem that has persisted in refusing to acknowledge itself, thanks in large part to an irresponsible and unresponsive media.