Harold Washington On-the-Air: A 30th Anniversary Retrospective | Review

“Harold Washington On-the-Air: A 30th Anniversary Retrospective,” a new exhibit at the Museum of Broadcast Communications, screens archival footage of Chicago’s first black mayor in various capacities: giving a long, in-depth interview after his first 100 days in office and waving to the crowds beside a grinning Jesse Jackson. But without a detailed understanding of Chicago’s political climate when Washington took office in 1983, the clips feel a little rudderless. You’d be better off checking out the other exhibits in the recently revamped museum, which, in addition to the National Radio Hall of Fame on the second floor, include interactive displays about various television genres on the third floor.