If Beale Street Could Talk takes place in the 1970’s, following the story of a young couple and their family. Renowned author James Baldwin brings light to a big issue for Black families and people in a beautiful way. He was a proud, openly gay African American, and he inspired others to believe in themselves.

In this story, a young man, Alanzo,and his soon to be wife,Tish, venture out to find a new home to start their life in. While in the process, Alanzo is wrongly accused of a crime and is sent to jail.

Tish goes week after week to see him until she finally tells him they are expecting a baby. The young parents are excited and hopeful that one day Alonzo will be released.

This story touches on the issue of African Americans getting blamed or accused of crimes that they didn’t commit.

Most of the population of people in jail were Black in the 1970’s, and this statistic just kept growing as time passed. In one scene of the movie, Alonzo’s friend, who had once been locked up himself, speaks on the conditions and treatment of African Americans in prison.

He speaks on how police  can do whatever they want to you in jail. We can clearly see that he experienced pain and heartbreak as a result of what happened in the prison.

Overall, “If Beale Street Can Talk” is a remarkable story that will show the value of family and love while also showing you the pain that black people experienced the 1970’s. James Baldwin depicts the realism of prisons and police brutality that was especially prominent back then.