A different drummer

William Melvin Kelley drew inspiration from a satirical essay by George S. Schuyler titled "The North Star," which imagined a mass exodus of Black Americans from the South. Kelley's novel explores the profound social and psychological impact such an event would have on both the departing community and the remaining white residents.

A Different Drummer introduces the fictional New Marsallas, a Southern town that reappears in several of Kelley's later novels, including "A Drop of Patience" and "dem." This recurring setting allows him to further explore themes of race, identity, and community within a consistent literary universe.

A Different Drummer is frequently included in American literature and African American studies curricula at the university level. It is valued for its innovative narrative structure and its exploration of racial dynamics and identity during the Civil Rights era.