The mob ran Kansas City like a family business — literally.
The film shines a light on Kansas City’s less glorious past when it was a major distribution hub for heroin in the 1930s and 1940s. Black Hand Strawman explains how Kansas City’s Mafia exercised control over the Teamsters Union Local 41 from the 1950s into the 1980s.
Direction
O'Malley weaves family photos with federal records seamlessly.
Editing
Dense timeline made surprisingly navigable.
Director
Terence Michael O'Malley
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Director Terence O'Malley is a descendant of Kansas City mob figures, giving him unprecedented access to private family archives.
The 'Strawman' title refers to the Teamsters' practice of creating fake union locals to embezzle pension funds — a scheme that spread nationally from KC.
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