On a new season of WBEZ's hit podcast, Making.

I'm with the rest of July 1960, trying to use a public library.

We're all like other people to be like me.

I always dreamed of it and I want to do it so bad.

When I decided to speak, I had a lot to say.

Join us as we tell the origin story of a different iconic black figure every week.

Making from WBEZ Chicago, find it wherever you get your podcasts.

Hello, my name is Martin Lewis and I'm speaking to you from Flora in the south-eastern tip of Illinois.

It's the 1980s and in rural Illinois, a tall British man with a luxurious mullet and pink tuxedo stands in front of a cano wrap.

I think it's instructive to have a look at what the town of Flora has done because maybe you can get some ideas from what Flora has done for your own campaign.

He's there to make a short film about the big dream of a tiny town, Flora, Illinois, which hopes to convince Illinois's governor to build a prison there.

To get attention, they've organized a parade.

The local high school band dressed in black and white striped prison uniforms, plays jailhouse rock.

The parade also features some men driving tiny clownish cars and circles.

For these people are slightly crazy. They're the clay county shrine club widget patrol.

Now you know what a widget patrol is.

No, I still do not know what a widget patrol is.

And finally, bring up the rear, the cow of Flora.

The parade culminates in a big rally where Spencer Christian, the weatherman at the time from Good Morning America, has flown in to make a speech.

Now I'm not supposed to be partisan or political in my job, but if I were the governor, I'd give you the prison.

I grew up in Kansas City in the 80s and 90s when mass incarceration was booming.

I had family that worked in jails, family that was locked up in prison too.

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