Sons of Darkness, Sons of Light: A Novel of Some Probability — John A. Williams

Originally published in 1969, this parable of racial intrigue centers on the killing of an unarmed black youth by Sergeant Carrigan, a white policeman. The murder prompts Eugene Browning, second in command at the Institute for Racial Justice, a civil rights organization, to seek revenge by hiring a professional killer to assassinate Carrigan. Browning enlists the help of an aging Mafia don, who passes the hit to a former terrorist from Israel. This single act of retribution sets in motion a crisis of unprecedented proportions as a band of black militants proceed to launch a violent plan of their own. As the dramatic events unfold, Browning struggles to put his troubled personal and professional life back in order.