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NewsOne returns with Episode 12 of The Black Ballot, entitled “America’s Scandal”
The Black Ballot is a multi-episodic docuseries exploring everything from how the passing of the Civil Rights Act led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to the roles elected Black officials have played and everything in between to show how far we’ve come and how far we still need to go in the ongoing fight for voting rights.
In Episode 12, the team takes a deep dive into the OJ Simpson Trial and how it dominated the news cycle, slowly creating a racial divide among black and white Americans. OJ’s verdict to many African Americans was payback for the acquittal of the officers involved in the Rodney King beating earlier in the decade.
Throughout the video, the team also takes a look at President Clinton as he became embattled in his own personal controversy with Monica Lewinsky, but even this scandal’s opinions were split on racial and political lines. However, the Clinton/Gore ticket managed to provide a thriving economy, which provided a great opportunity for Al Gore to run for President against another Bush. The Bush/Gore election is memorable as being similar to the first “Stop the Steal” we have seen in our current political times. For Black America, it was even more of an issue since the center of the questioned votes came from a mostly black community in Miami/Dade County (where George Bush’s Brother was Gov). Ultimately, the conservative Supreme Court made the final decision to stop the vote count and declared George Bush the winner even though just a few hundred votes separated the candidates and Gore clearly won the popular vote. American voters, especially democrats, would feel anger and defeat and many lost trust in the political process.
The episode features special commentary from Don Lemon, Prof. Steven Lawson, and Reecie Taylor.
Check out the 12th episode, and be sure to check back for future weekly episodes by clicking here.
Let’s continue exploring the history and impact of the Black vote in America together!
SEE ALSO:
The Black Ballot Episode 11: ‘First Black President’
The Black Ballot Episode 10: Race Bait, Crime And Media Manipulation In The 1990s
