Beginning in turn-of-the-century South Carolina and ending in war-time Tennessee, Theo and Eldred interact with each other for many years. Their relationship ends when there is an incident that results in one man being buried and the other sentenced to prison. Turnbull: Based on a True Story starts as a coming-of-age story and grows into a drama consisting of intrigue, crime, and justice. It culminates in a civil rights victory that in a different setting, time or social circle may have had national significance.