Washington Black follows George Washington "Wash" Black, an 11-year-old boy who must flee a life of slavery on a Barbados sugar plantation. The gregarious, larger-than-life Medwin Harris, who traveled the world after a traumatic childhood as a Black refugee in Nova Scotia, is the de facto Mayor of Black Halifax that prioritizes the community over everything except Washington Black, his young protégé. Meeting Wash sends him down a challenging path of self-discovery. And as the barricades around his heart start to fall, Medwin will learn to dream again.