Of all the segments in the series, this episode is the only one which completely departs from the novel "Roots" and depicts characters and events which either did not appear at all in the book or were drastically changed for the television version. In the original novel, Tom Harvey and his family move to Tennessee (without incident) at the start of Reconstruction and most of the events in the late 1860s focus on Tom establishing his blacksmith business and the jealousy experienced by his competitors who were mostly white. Old George, Sheriff Biggs, and the entire story about Captain Brent and the Senator trying to keep the blacks tied to their land was an independent story written solely for television.
This episode takes place from 1865 to 1870.
In the uncredited role of Bud Harvey is a young Todd Bridges.