Rosewood is a historical drama film released in 1997, directed by John Singleton and starring Ving Rhames and Jon Voight. The movie is based on the true story of a violent racial incident that occurred in Florida in 1923.
The movie begins with an elderly woman, Aunt Sarah, telling her granddaughter about the town of Rosewood, where her family used to live. It then cuts to a scene where a white woman, Fanny Taylor, falsely accuses a black man of rape, which leads to a lynch mob forming and attacking the black community.
The film portrays how tensions between white and black residents had been simmering beneath the surface in Rosewood for some time and how the arrival of a transient black man from the north, Mann (Rhames), serves as a catalyst for the violent mob attack.
As the mob terrorizes and destroys Rosewood, Mann takes it upon himself to protect the town and its inhabitants, risking his own life in the process. The film also depicts the efforts of a white merchant, John Wright (Voight), to help the black residents escape to safety.
By the end of the film, the town of Rosewood has been completely destroyed, with numerous black residents killed and many more being forced to flee and abandon their homes. The movie shows the aftermath of the incident and the various ways in which the surviving residents try to move on with their lives.
Rosewood is a powerful and emotional portrayal of a tragic event in American history that highlights the dangers of racism and mob violence. It has received critical acclaim for its performances, directing, and screenplay, and has been praised for its historical accuracy.