New film about 1916 Everett uprising that still resonates today

A new documentary tells the long-forgotten story of Everett, WA union organizers, business interests & law enforcement who clashed in a battle that tested the core beliefs of a growing nation. Verona: The Story of the Everett Massacre [trailer] is available now on iTunes, Amazon, and Google Play. It is distributed by Virgil Films.

The tragedy of November 5, 1916, echoes today. When the IWW appeared on the streets of Everett, Washington, in the summer of 1916, no one knew it would end in bloodshed that fall. In the midst of a local shingle weavers’ strike, with picket-line fistfights and riots, the Wobblies arrived to speak at the city’s free-speech corner. Filled with fervor for their message of the One Big Union, they soon ran afoul of local authorities, including Sheriff Don McRae, a former president of the International Shingle Weavers’ union who had been elected twice with the help of organized labor. A showdown over free speech was about to begin.

With stunning historical footage and expert analysis, Verona: The Story of the Everett Massacre reveals how the conflict between them that have and them that don’t destroys lives, not just in violent confrontations, but in the day-to-day existence of working people.

Directed by Monroe, WA's Denise Ohio with a style reminiscent of Ken Burns and Steve James, Verona relates the forgotten story and explores how those who have power and money continue to successfully turn the rest of us against each other.