In many ways, the story of Mayor Harold Washington’s rise to City Hall is distinctly Chicagoan. But the makers of the documentary “Punch 9 for Harold Washington,” say his election had reverberations far beyond the city’s borders. BlackVoicesWTTW
In many ways, the story of Mayor Harold Washington’s rise to City Hall is distinctly Chicagoan.,” say his election had reverberations far beyond the city’s borders.The film, which premiered at the Chicago Film Festival Oct. 13, shows Washington’s journey to the mayor’s office, the racist resistance to his candidacy and the historic Black-Brown coalitions formed to support him. It also demonstrates how his election offered a blueprint for progressive organizing across the country.
“The initial impetus [for making the film] was the realization that the Harold Washington story is a national story, it has ramifications beyond the past and ramifications beyond Chicago,” said director Joe Winston.