After the death of her mother, Sara moves to the South Side of Chicago to live with her father and gets transferred to a majority-black school. Her life takes a turn for the better when befriends Chenille and her brother Derek, who helps her with her dancing skills.
A mute female dancer who wows audiences in club competitions but can't get Broadway jobs because of her handicap, develops a "voice" when a young scientist invents a device that allows her to make music via her dance movements.
In 1957, black lawyer John Williams has to defend his nephew Charlie, who is accused of strangling a white boy to death. John doesn't believe Charlie did it, and although Charlie confesses, John wants to find out the real truth.