Citizen Bowen explores the Black muscle and money that undergirded the Chicago Democratic political machine from 1949 to 2005 through the first-person account of one of its few surviving operatives.

At just 20 years old, Charles Bowen joined Chicago’s 2nd Ward Young Democrats in 1949, becoming the youngest Precinct Captain the organization ever produced. Under the mentorship of Congressman William Dawson, Bowen navigated pathways into Chicago City Hall, the White House, and other centers of political power. Now semi-retired and in his 90s, Bowen reflects on the behind-the-scenes relationships and strategies that shaped politics in the City of Broad Shoulders.