Welcome to Independent Lens.
I'm Pete Schwaba, host of
PBS Wisconsin's Director's Cut.
Tonight, we take a trip back to 1960s Chicago,
a tumultuous time in the city's history
with the film "The First Rainbow Coalition."
The film looks at the inception of the Rainbow Coalition
over fifty years ago and how it affected
the political landscape of the city
that Mayor Richard J. Daley ruled with an iron fist.
The Rainbow Coalition was actually
a network of several organizations
brought together by a charismatic young leader
named Fred Hampton.
Hampton led the Chicago chapter of the Black Panthers
until he was killed by Chicago Police
at just twenty-one years old.
Hampton was instrumental in bringing together
poor southern whites, Latinos and other black groups
in an effort to address police brutality and housing issues
in one of the most segregated cities in America.
This coalition was founded to give a voice to the poor,
and it quickly evolved into a force of young people
that threatened the stranglehold
that the Chicago political machine had on the city.
It also drew the attention of the FBI.
"The First Rainbow Coalition" is directed by Ray Santisteban
and produced by Firelight Films
which was founded by award winning director Stanley Nelson.
Santisteban's projects typically focus on issues
such like justice and political transformation.
In addition to being an award winning filmmaker himself,
Santisteban is also a film curator,
so who better to make a documentary set in the '60s
to utilize some stunning and historic film footage.
So sit back and watch how different groups of people
unite and overcame racial divisions
to achieve their goals.
Imagine that.
"The First Rainbow Coalition" starts now on PBS Wisconsin,
your home for independent film.