'' Rosewood '' is a 1997 American historical fiction drama film directed by John Singleton . While based on historic events of the 1923 Rosewood massacre in Florida , when a white mob killed black people and destroyed their town , the film introduces fictional characters and changes from historic accounts . In a major change , it stars Ving Rhames as an outsider who comes into Rosewood and inspires residents to self-defense , wielding his pistols in a fight . The supporting cast includes Don Cheadle as Sylvester Carrier , a resident who was a witness , defender of his family and victim of the riot ; and Jon Voight as a sympathetic white store owner who lives in a village near Rosewood . The three characters become entangled in an attempt to save people from racist whites attacking the blacks of Rosewood
Rosewood massacre
Rosewood massacre
Rosewood (film)