John is a man of many talents, including one forbidden skill: he can read. When he teaches a young slave girl named Sarny to read and write, she learns an unforgettable lesson about the power of words and the true meaning of freedom.
Beau Bridges
as Clel Waller
Carl Lumbly
as Nightjohn
Bill Cobbs
as Old man
Gabriel Casseus
as Outlaw
Deborah Duke
as Lethe
Kathleen York
as Callie Waller
Tom Nowicki
as Dr. Chamberlain
Monica Ford
as Egypt
Shannon Eubanks
as Fanny Bowen
Gerald Brown
as Joseph
Allison Jones
as Sarny
Lorraine Toussaint
as Dealey
