How a Legacy of Racist Policies and Police Brutality Contributed to the Mass Disenfranchisement of Black People

The death of George Floyd, an African American man, at the hands of police officers in Minneapolis has ignited protests and conversations surrounding the mistreatment of Black Americans at the hands of the state against the backdrop of a pandemic that is disproportionately affecting Black people. Americans in every state have taken to the streets to protest police brutality and chant “Black Lives Matter.” A look at the history of Black disenfranchisement, failures in leadership and policy, and the role ongoing protests will play in the general election.

Guests:

Adam Serwer, Staff Writer at The Atlantic covering politics

Elizabeth Hinton, incoming Professor of History, law and African-American studies at Yale and the author of “From the War on Poverty to the War on Crime: The Making of Mass Incarceration in America”

Carol Anderson, Charles Howard Candler Professor of African American Studies at Emory University and author of “White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide”

Mayors, Past and Present

Since George Floyd was killed by police officers in Minneapolis, demonstrations against police brutality have taken place across the United States. For mayors, listening to the protester’s grievances and balancing them against the responsibility of engaging with police chiefs is a challenging task.

A conversation with Michael Tubbs, the first Black Mayor of Stockton, California, about addressing police brutality at the local level and what he hopes will come from the protests.

Plus, a conversation with former San Antonio Mayor, Julián Castro. As a candidate for the Democratic nomination, Castro spoke often about the pattern of police brutality and how bias in the criminal justice system disproportionately impacts Black Americans. He reflects on his time as mayor, ending police brutality, and the future of the movement.

Guests:

Michael Tubbs, Mayor of Stockton, California

Julián Castro, former Mayor of San Antonio and former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

How Demonstrations Across the U.S. have changed the Vice Presidential Selection Process

A national conversation about race and the lack of police accountability has shifted the trajectory of the VP selection process for the Biden campaign. With the disparities in health care that coronavirus has underscored and the brutal killing of George Floyd, the selection process faces heightened scrutiny.

Guests:

David Siders, National Political Correspondent at Politico

The World from PRX

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