North Carolina, 1917. Charlie Newell lives a
quiet life farming as a sharecropper under the
hot Southern sun and living in the Negro
settlement of Holly Ridge. Even though the
world is engaged in the Great War, Charlie's
religion forbids him from fighting. He and
other Negroes from the community have
registered as conscientious objectors, but the
U.S. Army ignores their stance and forces
them into the service.
Once Charlie begins his duties as a soldier,
the trouble starts. Racial slurs, insults, and
even physical abuse hound him, and he longs
to return to his farm. His religious beliefs
clash with the army when he refuses to work
on Saturday-his Sabbath-and Charlie is
arrested, court-martialed, and sentenced to
ten years of hard labor.
For Charlie, a simple man with simple
dreams, his time in prison is the biggest
obstacle in his life. Facing prejudice from
fellow inmates, guards, and prison
administrators is one thing. But it is the toll
on his mind, body, and spirit that will truly
test the strength of his convictions.
The Court-Martial of Charlie Newell sheds
light on a little-known piece of American
history. Charlie Newell's plight artfully
portrays the racial prejudice of America
during World War I and reveals one man's
fortitude in the face of adversity.