FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 3, 2026
PRESS ADVISORY:
ArchCity Defenders to Premiere Documentary on The Workhouse, Marking One Year Since Its Demolition
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – On March 18th, the one-year anniversary of the demolition of the Workhouse, the holistic legal advocacy organization ArchCity Defenders will premiere a documentary exploring the infamous Medium Security Institution. The documentary, titled Hell on Hall Street, offers a first-time, exclusive deep dive into the origins of the Workhouse, the deplorable conditions and practices while it was open, its impacts on the community and St. Louis at large, and the broader effort to finally close and demolish it.
The documentary will be presented by Action St. Louis, ArchCity Defenders, and the Close the Workhouse campaign and the premiere will be sponsored by Ben & Jerry’s and hosted by the St. Louis Public Library.
The documentary features never-before-seen viewpoints from people who were incarcerated in the Workhouse and an insider look at the movement to get it demolished. The premiere will be free and open to the public and the media.
Following the premiere of Hell on Hall Street, ArchCity Defenders Executive Director Blake Strode will facilitate a panel conversation with individuals featured in the film. This will include a brief question-and-answer session with the audience on the campaign to close the Workhouse and what comes next. Additionally, Strode, other ArchCity Defenders’ employees and survivors of the Workhouse, and campaign members will be available for media interviews.
Members of the public can register for the event here.
In February, the federal court issued preliminary approval of a $4 million class action settlement impacting those detained in the Workhouse between 2012 and 2022. Information about the settlement is online and will be available at the event.
A report and recommendations on the future of the Workhouse site can be found here.
Details of the premiere are below.
WHAT: Hell on Hall Street Documentary Premiere and Q&A Session
WHO: ArchCity Defenders, Close the Workhouse, and Action St. Louis Staff
WHEN: Wednesday, March 18, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
WHERE: St. Louis Public Library Central Library Branch, 1301 Olive Street, St. Louis, MO 63103
MEDIA RSVP: Members of the media are asked to RSVP to Z Gorley at zgorley@archcitydefenders.org.
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Media Contact:
Z Gorley, Director of Communications, ArchCity Defenders
(314) 898-8185 | zgorley@archcitydefenders.org