Columbia Filmmaker’s Documentary Explores Chicago Power and Politics

Campus Communications Staff / Feb 23, 2026

Photo of three people.Filmmaker Michael N.J. Wright (right), an adjunct professor of instruction at Columbia College Chicago, with Charles “Chuck” Bowen (center) and Quentella Enty, MBA (left).
Michael N.J. Wright is director of “Citizen Bowen,” a documentary that looks at Charles “Chuck” Bowen and the role of Black political organizers in Chicago’s Democratic political machine.

Michael N.J. Wright, adjunct professor of instruction at Columbia College Chicago, recently gave audiences in Springfield, Illinois, a sneak peek of his new documentary “Citizen Bowen.” The film, which Wright directed, highlights the role of Black political organizing within Chicago’s Democraticmachine as seen through the eyes of longtime Chicago political operative Charles “Chuck” Bowen. 

Reflecting on his career and the politics that surrounded him, Bowen, now in his 90s, traces how Black political organizers helped shape Chicago politics from the mid-20th century to the early 21st century by building alliances and influencing decisions behind the scenes. 

Documenting a Life Rich With Experiences 

For Wright, the film project came together unexpectedly thanks to family connections. Bowen’s daughter had gone to school with Wright’s older brother, and the family approached Wright about writing a book about Bowen.  
“But I said, ‘I don’t write books; I make movies,’ Wright says. And so, a documentary film project began.  

Describing Bowen as the Forrest Gump of Chicago politics, Wright portrays a man who was there when important deals were made, with Bowen’s career touching city politics in various ways during a time when the city was very much defined by ethnic and racial divides.  

“Bowen has a rich tapestry of life experience and stories to tell,” Wright says.  

First emerging in local politics in the 1950s, Bowen became the youngest precinct captain in Chicago’s 2nd Ward at just 21. He worked as an organizer for the Democratic Party, supporting figures such as Congressman William Dawson, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 27 years and a key figure in building Chicago’s first Black political machine. Bowen was also a State’s Attorney Investigator. 

In 1982, voters elected Bowen to the Cook County Board and he helped create the county’s first affirmative action initiative to expand contract opportunities for women and minorities, later serving as deputy clerk of the board. In 1989, he backed Richard M. Daley’s successful mayoral campaign at a time when Daley faced skepticism in many Black neighborhoods, a decision that led to Bowen’s appointment as executive assistant to the mayor where he acted as a liaison between the mayor’s office and Chicago’s Black clergy. 

History Told Through a Unique Lens 

For the documentary, Wright tailored his filmmaking process to Bowen, realizing that traditional techniques failed to capture Bowen’s authentic voice.  

“He was the most candid when we were driving around in the car together,” Wright says.   

As a result, Wright, a cinematographer, filmed much of the documentary informally, with more than half the film made with Wright using his cell phone to film him.  

The film, according to Wright, is less about historical objectivity and more about preserving a lived perspective.  
“For me, it’s a biography, and I wanted to be his conduit, his voice,” he says. “Let him detail the world as it used to be.” 

Since the project began in 2019, it has grown into a two-part documentary. Wright hopes to complete post-production on both parts  soon and eventually bring the finished films to wider audiences through festivals and broader distribution. For now, screenings remain primarily academic and invitation-only. 

Ultimately, Wright hopes the film encourages audiences to rethink simplified versions of American history. 

“As Americans, we aren’t always honest with ourselves when it comes to history,” he says. “But there is an underbelly that should be explored.”  

Through Bowen’s stories, Wright invites viewers to engage with the complexities of the past and consider the people who shaped it. 

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