I Heard It Through the Grapevine

This historical documentary follows writer James Baldwin as he looks back at his experiences in the American South during the Civil Rights Movement. Visiting locations such as Atlanta, Birmingham, and Selma, Baldwin reflects on events from more than twenty years prior. Along with companions like Chinua Achebe and Amiri Baraka, he travels to the beaches of St. Augustine and the city of Newark to examine the reality of social progress in the United States after the movement. He focuses on the long-term impact of those struggles and the fate of the children involved.

Directed by Pat Hartley and Dick Fontaine, the film features a screenplay written by James Baldwin himself. The production was handled by Living Archives Inc. in the United States. The cast includes appearances by individuals such as Chinua Achebe, Amiri Baraka, Sterling Brown, David Dennis, Hoyt Fuller, and Oretha Castle Haley. The movie has a runtime of 92 minutes. Based on user feedback, the film is well-received, maintaining a 7.6 rating on IMDb from 119 votes.