As the 2024 presidential election approaches, questions around representation, equity, and the challenges faced by leaders of color are more pressing than ever. These themes are powerfully explored in Punch 9 for Harold Washington, a documentary that chronicles the groundbreaking campaign and tenure of Chicago’s first Black mayor, Harold Washington. Through Joe Winston’s lens, we see Washington’s rise in 1983 as a beacon of hope against the entrenched political machine of Chicago, as well as the formidable opposition he faced, even within his own party. Washington’s approach to coalition-building and his inclusive, progressive platform resonate deeply in today's political landscape, reflecting both the progress made and the challenges that endure to offer a blueprint for those who hope to bring together electorates today.

In this Q&A, director Joe Winston shares his experiences bringing this pivotal story to the screen. As the country prepares to vote, Washington’s legacy offers a timely reminder of the power of resilience, representation, and a shared vision for an inclusive future.

How do you first become interested in Harold Washington’s story?

I grew up in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago, where Harold Washington lived when he was elected mayor. That year, 1983, I was a high school student. The 1983 election was electrifying for me, even as a pretty naïve kid. Harold was a local hero, we’d see him around, and parents of classmates worked on his campaign and joined his Administration.

Decades later, when Barack Obama was elected as our first African American

president, I was in Grant Park for the election-night celebration. But when the inevitable white backlash came for Obama, I was shocked that more people didn’t see it coming. It became clear to me that the story of Harold Washington’s rise, and the battles he fought, were predictive of what happens when under-represented groups, particularly African Americans, gain political power. Until we learn from Harold’s story, America seems doomed to fight the same battles over and over again.

How did you secure funding to make the film?

Punch 9 was made as an independent film, funded by grants from foundations, arts and humanities agencies, the Ken Burns Prize, a Kickstarter campaign, a patchwork that took years to put together. As other filmmakers will tell you, raising the funds was the hardest part of the whole process.

What voices and stakeholders did you find it necessary to convene in order

bring your vision to fruition?

As a white producer/director the first thing I did was hire a diverse team to produce, shoot and edit the film. That was a no-brainer and made the whole project better. Now, my films don’t use voice-over narration, the participants in the story speak for themselves in interviews, which opens up additional avenues for inclusion. We filmed fifty people, and we used forty of them in the film. Our sound mixer said it was the most interviews he’d ever worked with in a single movie.

Were there any unique obstacles you had to overcome in order to complete

your film?

Some of Harold’s leading opponents, “The Eddies,” wouldn’t speak to us at all, despite repeated entreaties. We were fortunate to get other opponents to speak candidly, so we could represent that side of the story – I didn’t want to make a film that didn’t properly represent what motivated Harold’s opponents. We also had to overcome the fact that a number of our interviewees had told their favorite Harold stories many times already, since he’d been gone for thirty years when we began filming. While the insights of Harold’s close associates were crucial, we ended up getting much of our most emotional moments from people who had never been interviewed about this topic.

What has been the reaction from audiences as you have held screenings?

Punch 9 came out just as audiences were beginning to attend in-person screenings again after the COVID lockdowns. Many people told us it was the first movie they’d seen in a theater in years. No matter what state or city we screen in, whether in a classroom or a movie theater, audiences respond emotionally to Harold Washington’s journey and the post-screening discussions are very lively.

How can Harold Washington’s story help inform contemporary discourses?

The story of Harold Washington could not be more timely. Chicago in the 1980s was rapidly diversifying, as the entire country is today. Harold Washington rose to power by building a multi-racial, multi-ethnic coalition based on the guiding principle of fairness. The political battles that Harold Washington fought – and won – in his quest to unify his city and create an open, inclusive governance for all, form a playbook for renewing and extending American democracy.