Maxey made his mark not only as a local boxing hero in the 1950s, but became one of the first African-Americans to pass the bar in Eastern Washington which sent him on a crusade to eliminate many of the discrimination laws in the small city of Spokane, Washington.This program will be the first full-length documentary to air locally on PBS at KSPS-TV about a local heroic African-American in Spokane.   Filmmaker, aspiring attorney and former employee of Maxey, Denise Marie Thomas, decided to produce the film after discovering Maxey’s rags to riches story had never been told to the general public. The National Education Telecommunications Association (NETA), a distribution channel of PBS, has agreed to air the program nationally upon its completion and the will have a celebrity narrator.

Maxey often referred to his struggles as coming from “black scratch.”  Many who knew of him were unaware of Carl’s indefinite challenges throughout his life, which created his dedicated representation of the underdog. Known for his charismatic style in the courtroom and fierce knowledge of the law, Maxey gave his talent to many in his local community facing civil rights issues therefore making him the “go to man.”  As he attempted to withdraw and retire, Maxey tragically died in 1997 in his home from a bullet wound to his temple. It was speculated his death was a suicide or an accident. Spokane mourned a man of great stature and who changed the lives of so many. This film shares Carl’s personal experiences of his impoverished life, introduction to boxing and how that fighting courage helped him combat inequality and injustice for a lifetime. A list of residents, friends, colleagues and former co-workers support this film until its completion.