Cierra Lemott 
Most of us have heard of the household names of powerful men like Al Capone and Larry Hoover, but have you heard of Edward Jones?
A descendant of slaves, Jones was a rich and influential man in Chicago also known as the Chicago Policy King. Policy, during the 1930s and 1940s, was an illegal version of what we know today as the Illinois State Lottery. It made Jones millions of dollars during a time when segregation was at an all-time high. He used his money to support his family as well as other members of the Black community.
King of Kings: Chasing Edwards Jones, The Other Boss of Chicago, is the story of Jones and his family that is more deeply told and explored by Jones’ granddaughter, Harriet Marin Jones, who learned new things about her grandfather whenever something new was revealed in her documentary. Though Edward Jones was the main focus of the documentary, his brothers, George and Mack Jones, also played a role in the history-making that was done by this family in the 20th century.
The most significant part of this story is the fact that a Black community, Bronzeville, was turned into a Black Metropolis with the help of the brothers. In the past, the money garnered from people taking part in the policy system went into the community. This cycle made more people play and continued to help the community and its members. That’s something we no longer see with the lottery.
The documentary, produced by Quincy Jones and Debbie Allen, mentioned the fact that most of the money going to the Illinois State Lottery today, comes from members of the Black community yet these are the communities that face the most struggle and have fewer resources.
The reason that we don’t usually hear about the Jones family is because of the mafia and the feds snatching everything away from them. The mafia kidnapped Edward Jones and he was held for ransom. In addition to the ransom, Jones was ordered to give up his portion of the gambling business but he refused. He was later incarcerated by the federal government. He ultimately fled the United States as a means of protecting himself and his family.
Overall, this documentary was a very interesting watch. I enjoy learning new things about my hometown and the history of it. In order to move forward and not make the same mistakes as those from our past, it’s important to know your history.
This film is being screened at the Harper Court Theater in the Hyde Park community until September 26th. It is also a contender for the 2025 Oscar awards.
For more information about showing times, visit Fandango.
By Cierra Lemott, Columbia College Chicago alum
Instagram: @kodakscamera
X: @LemottCierra
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