The documentary chronicling the life and times of Hiawatha Bailey, the first black hippie, has been released.

The film follows Bailey's path from his early days as part of the African-American "great migration" to Detroit in the 1950s, where he became immersed in the counterculture movement.

After "turning on" to LSD and joining a commune in 1965, Bailey became a member of the revolutionary White Panthers cadre in 1968, serving four years in prison before starting his own musical outfit upon release.

He later formed the punk rock band Cult Heroes in 1978.

The film boasts an impressive cast including Iggy Pop, Patti Smith, Wayne Kramer, John Sinclair, Cheetah Chrome, and many more rockers and activists who were part of this pivotal moment in American history.

Featuring music by The MC5, The Rationals, Cult Heroes, Static, Pure Hell, and Elan Portnoy's score for the film, The Song Of Hiawatha floats along in a psychedelic haze as it delves into sensitive issues such as race, rock 'n' roll radicalism, sexual identity, prison life, and antiquated drug laws.

The documentary offers a fresh look at the New Left and its complex relationships to culture and society.

The cast includes a select array of rockers and activists who were on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted List: Hiawatha Bailey, Iggy Pop, Patti Smith, Wayne Kramer, John Sinclair, Cheetah Chrome, Niagara Detroit, Ron Ashton, Pun Plamondon, Professor Judson Jeffries, Leni Sinclair, Genie Plamondon, David Fenton, Lawrence Livermore, John Brannon, Maxie Chanel, Jennifer Holiday Chanel, and Deniz Tek.

Documents include a letter from FBI Director J.

Edgar Hoover, a landmark Supreme Court decision, a contract signed by John Lennon, and many never-before-seen photos dating back beyond the 1960s.

The producer of the film is Steven Blush, who has written ten books about rock and pop culture.

The director of the film is Jeffrey Wengrofsky, who has made ten short films about figures in the cultural underground of his native Lower East Side of New York.

The film has been well-received by critics, with praise from James Sclavunos of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Professor Ira Katznelson of Columbia University, and Ann Arbor Observer.

A unique feature of this documentary is its use of a psychedelic haze to convey the sense of revolution and counterculture that defined the era.