Roots: The Saga of an American Family Chapters 56-60 Summary

A month later, Belle tells Kunta about a big hubbub which we know to be the Boston Tea Party. The American Revolution's beginning.
We also learn that Belle can read a bit, which is how she always knows the news. She keeps this secret from everyone except the fiddler and the gardener, as it is illegal.
By 1775, war is well on its way. White people are getting nervous around their slaves, as the British are offering freedom to anyone who fights on their behalf.
The war ends in 1783. As he drops his rocks into the gourd, Kunta is shocked to realize that he's now thirty-four years old.

A few days later, Kunta learns that Luther, the Massa's driver, aided a young woman in an attempted escape. Massa Waller tells the sheriff to sell him immediately.
To Kunta's surprise, Massa Waller tells him that he is going to be his new driver. He even gives him some fancy new digs for the position.
For the most part, Kunta drives Massa Waller to house calls. Massa Waller even helps his brother's wife (Kunta's original owner) give birth to a new daughter, Anne.

Massa Waller spends an inordinate amount of time with his new, one-year-old niece. This makes Kunta think about the bizarre relationships he sees between "white and black 'young'uns'" (58.11).
He also learns about slave uprisings that have taken place and wonders if he's become too soft in his age.

One day, Kunta is surprised to see a family of white people working on another plantation. He learns that they're "indentured white folks" (59.2).
To be honest, Kunta hates poor white people most of all—their eagerness to follow in rich folks' footsteps leads them to do unimaginably cruel things to black people, especially runaway slaves.

Kunta's noticed that the fiddler has become tight-lipped lately, which is unusual for him. Bell tells Kunta that she heard he's saving up his money from his gigs to "buy his freedom" (60.5).
On Thanksgiving, Kunta drives Massa Waller to a local plantation in Enfield. As he walks through the surrounding field, he hears a strange drumming that's distinctly African.
He rushes around and locates the man in question, the pair immediately embracing and dropping some Arabic on each other. It's a nice moment, but they don't get much time together.
Kunta thinks about that guy a lot over the following months. Finally, he gets his opportunity when the Massa gets another job at the Enfield Plantation.
Soon after they arrive, Kunta eagerly knocks on his African bro's front door.