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Three Filmmakers Reconvene 32 Years After Harold Washington's Election

By Sam Cholke | January 27, 2015 5:26am
 Harold Washington was Chicago first black mayor, who was elected in 1983.
Harold Washington was Chicago first black mayor, who was elected in 1983.
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Antonio Dickey Photography

HYDE PARK — The creators of three different documentaries on the election of Harold Washington as mayor of Chicago will screen and talk about their movies on Feb. 1 at the Black Cinema House.

South Side Projections is presenting “Running with the Mayor,” “Why Get Involved” and “Chicago Politics: A Theater of Power” at 2 p.m. at the theater house at 7200 S. Kimbark Ave.

Washington was elected the first black mayor of Chicago in 1983, and re-elected in 1987 before dying in office a year later.

Javier Vargas will talk about being a student in 1984 and creating the 12-minute “Running with the Mayor” that captured Washington’s campaign in black and Hispanic communities for the Community TV Network.

John Blanton, the videographer of “Why Get Involved,” will talk about capturing election night where Washington sat with Bill Cosby, Jesse Jackson and Ben Vereen to watch vote totals come in.

Director Bill Stamets will show more than half of his 90-minute “Chicago Politics” documentary that capture Washington’s efforts to change the city and the racism that his campaigns faced.

Additional guests are also invited.

The screenings are free and open to the public.

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