NYC PREMIERE The Corvette-driving, verbally gifted Marxist Ken Cockrel was a powerhouse lawyer in 1970s Detroit, a city roiled by segregation, racial unrest, and police brutality. In a series of high-profile cases involving the Black community, the radical yet rational Ken took the legal lead and won decisive victories. Through vivid archival footage and personal recollections, this energetic film celebrates a brash and brilliant activist who moved the needle on race, justice, and social change. - Karen McMullen
Kenny: The Marxist Who Would Be Mayor is one of 10 nominated films in DOC NYC’s inaugural Archival Storytelling Competition, developed in collaboration with Archival Producers Alliance and co-presented by Footage.Net, Fox Archives, and Global ImageWorks. To see the list of other nominated films, click here.
The first screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Christopher "Zoz" Gruse, executive producer/protagonists Sheila Cockrel and Katy Cockrel, and editor Cammeron Neely.
All in-person screening venues provide sound amplification headphones upon request with venue management. IFC Center can also provide a T-Coil loop for compatible devices.