Set in the Jim Crow era of 1962 in Tallahassee, Florida, young African-American Elwood Curtis shows remarkable promise academically. Encouraged by his Black teacher to develop independent thought, he pushes back against the biased narratives found in Southern textbooks. Raised by his loving grandmother, who carries the weight of her family's tragic history—her father having died under questionable circumstances in a prison cell—Elwood is cautioned about the potential backlash from White society if he involves himself in the Civil Rights Movement. Nevertheless, he chooses to participate. The story is interwoven with powerful imagery, featuring civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King and Sidney Poitier, alongside broader cultural snapshots such as scenes from the U.S. space program. These visual elements deepen the narrative’s connection to the social and historical shifts of the time.