Tulsa, 1921. At LITTLE RICKY’S birthday, DONNA, an expectant mother, is assured of her child’s health by DOCTOR MORRIS. DARRYL must leave early for work at the train station. Newspapers cover a Holdenville prostitute’s death. SIMON BERRY arrives to purchase an automobile. DICK, a black man, spots SARAH, a Caucasian love interest, in the soda store. Sarah cancels a date that evening, citing to her friend AMY that she isn’t ready. Darryl finds young ROBERT on the railroad but is scolded for speaking to him by ROY, his racist father. Officers EDDIE and HENRY get their shoes shined by Dick. They meet incumbent SHERIFF MCCULLOUGH, who expresses his concern that he is not fit for the job. Dick meets Sarah in a department store elevator, hiding their relationship from the world. LEE REESE, the brother of the deceased prostitute, arrives in town. Roy beats Robert for associating with Darryl. MAYOR COLLINS and FREDERICK, Sarah’s father, predict that the African American population will soon ‘do something of their nature.’ They dislike the Sheriff’s recommendation of North and South side social gatherings. Robert and Little Ricky meet and share some taffy. Robert follows Little Ricky across the tracks, breaking Roy’s orders. They visit Simon Berry’s home and play in his new car. Sarah and Dick make love in the elevator. The Mayor tells the Sheriff that his plans have been rejected. Sarah discovers she is pregnant and tells Dick. Amy spots them together. Dick and Sarah plan a joint escape before Memorial Day. Amy confronts her and advises her to break it off. She organizes a date with STEVE, a department store clerk who is suspicious of Dick. She lies to Dick that she aborted the baby. He attacks her. Steve and Sarah report to the police station. Eddie is told to bring Dick in for questioning. Dick refuses to talk. Sarah overhears Frederick conspiring to rally ‘his people’ and reports on him. Vicious rumors circulate in town, and those that Dick tried to protect learn of his arrest. A mob forms outside the station. The Sheriff gets a statement from Sarah, who refuses to press charges. The precinct defends itself from the growing mob. A black congregation begins to form in a counter-protest. A scuffle sees Roy shoot Lee dead. Dick is left with OFFICER MICK in the panic, who tries to defenestrate him. Eddie and Henry kill Mick. Both sides of the railroad are consigned to fight. Many, including Darryl, die. Little Ricky runs off to go to Robert’s aid. The Sheriff passes a message to Sarah and creates a diversion. Sarah is reunited with Dick. Gifted Simon’s car, the couple escape. The Sheriff visits Frederick with the news. Donna’s child is stillborn. Mayor Collins deputizes local whites to ‘protect the town’ – by firebombing black areas. Sheriff McCullough and Mayor Collins shoots and kill one another. Robert shoots his own father. Donna and Billy escape. The National Guard arrive, arresting many whites. Little Ricky’s corpse is found in the mass graves.
