This is a story about a young boy named Marcus who grows up in northern Mississippi during the late 1800s. Marcus represents the voice of Southern working-class blacks, who despite the promises made by government and civil activists, realizes that everyday is a struggle for survival for him and his family. In living a life of near poverty, he is unable to develop into a functioning member of society and instead lives a very simple working life.
The latter part of the movie is centered around the stockyards of Chicago, Illinois where Marcus witnesses first-hand the hardships of life in the meatpacking district.
