This documentary reviews the life and career of Maynard Jackson, the charismatic three term mayor of Atlanta, being the first African-American elected to that position as well as the first black mayor to be elected in any major city in the South. The film follows Jackson's difficult upbringing and how he and his family experienced the degrading times of strict segregation.
Elected in 1973, at the very young age of 35, as Atlanta's mayor, Jackson strove to work within the system to improve opportunities for minorities in the city, through various public works projects including the expansion of their international airport. He was quite successful in breaking down the long standing race barriers there, which eventually would afford equal opportunity for all citizens who lived there.
During his mayoral tenure, Jackson would face tough times as well, with rising crime, the serial killer there (known as the Atlanta Child Murders, where 28 black children went missing and were murdered, and an increasing impatience by the youth of the city to counter alleged police brutality.
The documentary itself, directed by Samuel D.Pollard, uses the standard vehicles of interviews with those who knew and worked with Jackson, as well as film and still footage of the times. The testimonials at the end of the movie illustrate the love and respect still accorded Jackson, who died of a heart attack at the age of 65, in 2003.
Overall, I felt this was an important film, documenting the trailblazing life of a bold and brave man, whose actions would serve as a precursor and stepping stone for many in the future.
To note, my DVD copy did not contain subtitles, but I was able to access them through my remote closed captions.
