[instrumental music]
Councilmember Sawant
was known for the rallies and events she would hold on the issues of the day.
You can get a quick sense of the breadth of issues, from this series
of posters and flyers in the Seattle Municipal Archives.
Although the designs varied, the most common featured
red and white, with the Seattle skyline in the background.
Each of these posters has a story behind it.
Today we're going to look at the posters, flyers, and graphics for the effort
to “Save the Showbox.” In 2018, the historic Showbox
Theater was under threat of being replaced with an apartment tower.
Councilmember Sawant join those who opposes its demolition.
The Seattle Channel covered the debate about the Showbox on an episode of City
Inside/Out, asking, “Will the City Council be able to stop the sale?”
Posting on her web page, Sawant asked constituents
to nominate the Showbox from landmark status.
“Because the Showbox has so much historic value.,
the Landmarks Preservation Board should agree to landmark it if they hear
from a large enough community of people.”
Support came from preservation groups
such as the Friends of the Showbox,
as well as the public who was “sick of seeing such jewels of Seattle
demolished.” As one constituent wrote, “my heart is crying for the Showbox.
I ask the Seattle City Council members to save the Showbox
for the city of Seattle.”
While opponents said saving the Showbox
would be a detriment to affordable housing, Sawant argued
that the 44-story tower was luxury housing that most couldn't afford.
Local musicians such as Pearl Jam,
Duff McKagan, Alice in Chains, Macklemore
and Ben Gibbard from Death Cab for Cutie joined the cause.
The first step in the Showbox preservation was the effort to expand the boundaries
of the Pike Place Market Historic District as a study area to halt any demolition.
On August 24, 2018, the Mayor
signed Council Bill 119330
to do just that and an ordinance was passed.
The first step accomplished, support continued to grow.
A concert was given at City Hall.
Here we see Sassy
Black performing at the same time as a public hearing was being held.
My name is Leah Julius.
I am the bass player in local band Thunderpussy.
I'm excited to be here. Thank you.
It's amazing to
see so many familiar faces, because that's what the Showbox is.
And that's what Seattle is.
This is a community, and we're in this together.
No question: I'm a person of color.
We don't really get the opportunity to believe in the system that much.
we really rarely hear--feel like our voices are heard.
and what I saw you guys do over the course of that period
in approving the temporary ordinance, gave me hope.
It re-installed the idea that the system can work
if voices are willing to rally behind it.
So thank you for doing your job and representing the people.
The concern is “so goes the Showbox, so goes the rest of Seattle.”
So if we want to start thinking about ways to do
better, ways to make change, then let this be a turning point.
Let--like let's think big.
Let's think about changing the way that we use land in the city.
So that it's not just about profit, but it's about people.
Save the Showbox.
Thank you.
After the show of support from the preservation organizations,
musicians and the public, the City of Seattle's Landmark
Preservation Board granted the Showbox landmark status on
July 17, 2019.
There are over 2,000 graphic files and related materials
in Councilmember Sawant’s poster and flyer series, far
more than any other councilmember, and all of them have their own stories.
Explore more of these posters and flyers by visiting seattle.gov/cityarchives.