 "The Learning Tree", based on Parks' 1963 semi-autobiographical novel of the same name, was the first film directed by an African-American person for a major American film studio, in this case Warner Bros.-Seven Arts.In 1989, "The Learning Tree" was one of the first 25 films selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".Newt Winger, Marcus Savage, and several of their friends steal apples from Jake Kiner's orchard, and when Kiner confronts the boys, he is beaten and left for dead by Marcus, who is later sent to jail for his actions.