The bombshell political report LBJ wanted destroyed

Although members of the Kerner Commission were split on many aspects of their report, they eventually agreed on its central theme: the impact of white racism on Black Americans.
Learn how they came to their conclusion in THE RIOT REPORT, premiering Tuesday, May 21 at 9/8c on @PBS and the free PBS App → to.pbs.org/3xP...
Official Website: www.pbs.org/wg... | #RiotReportPBS
When Black neighborhoods in scores of cities erupted in violence during the summer of 1967, President Lyndon Johnson appointed the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders--informally known as the Kerner Commission--to answer three questions: What happened? Why did it happen? And what could be done to prevent it from happening again? The bi-partisan commission’s final report, issued in March of 1968, would offer a shockingly unvarnished assessment of American race relations--a verdict so politically explosive that Johnson not only refused to acknowledge it publicly, but even to thank the commissioners for their service. THE RIOT REPORT explores this pivotal moment in the nation’s history and the fraught social dynamics that simultaneously spurred the commission’s investigation and doomed its findings to political oblivion.
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Explore more about THE RIOT REPORT: www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/riot-report/

[@arthurford829]

“If we can’t come together, there’s no hope American can.”

[@ravenmay8773]

I want to see the full episode. This looks to be very interesting.

[@stan4now]

This is it in a nutshell. President Obama tried to get everyone to have the talk at our kitchen table about our fear and hate. These are the root causes of White racism that leads to discrimination, which is systemic racism.

[@foreverhopeful8497]

"do we deal with the cause or do we crush the symptoms" .......

[@stan4now]

At least President Obama tried to get us to talk at the kitchen table about our hopes and dreams, but especially our fear and hate, the root causes of racism.

[@PhilLesh69]

Republicans prefer that Americans focus on their irrational fears and hatreds. It dilutes the power of the citizen.

[@strongmermaid4651]

Still going on today

[@roberthevern6169]

Sadly, you're correct!

[@RottenInDenmarkOrginal]

Because the government doesn’t want to solve anything! The government is solely intent on keeping people on the dole! Hullo!!

[@garylefevers]

"The more things change, the more they stay the same.". Sadly there is a reason this old saying has endured through time. Looks as if people would learn from the past.

[@stan4now]

Thanks to MAGA Mania. Just as slaves fought for the Confederacy, those like SCOTUS Justice Clarence Thomas, Senator Tim Scott and Candace Owens love Trump.

[@seeleunit2000]

Yeah, pretty much. Because North America never has dealt with his systemic issue with racism. Because those are the top of the social hierarchy profit off of it.

[@ronkirk5099]

It is too bad that LBJ's Great Society program was crushed by the economic demands of the Vietnam war. It could have virtually eliminated poverty and put our country on a whole new trajectory away from the extreme, worst of any western country, inequality we have today.

[@roberthevern6169]

You mean the war JFK wanted to end, and LBJ ramped up?!

[@pooddescrewch8718]

It was a cynical bid, an investment in reelection to continue the bidding of his benefactors .

[@Thunderchild-gz4gc]

Too bad he was focused on that garbage than being a better commander in chief

[@pooddescrewch8718]

@@Thunderchild-gz4gc What was garbage about The Great Society ?

[@Stretch501st]

A government can’t eliminate poverty it can only make it worse, such as how government housing concentrated the urban poor into certain neighborhoods, usually on racist grounds.

[@hotttt28]

And the band played on!

[@stan4now]

. . .to oblivion. "Everything is beautiful..."

[@johngranato2673]

I lived during these times--frightening times.

[@jimfinigan1681]

Not half as frightening as today.

[@johngranato2673]

@@jimfinigan1681 In many ways you're right.

[@shoelessb4515]

Meanwhile, I was getting shot at .

[@dawnoceanside7300]

My bro was in Laos and Cambodia and Pleiku summer of '67. Tough on my mom. 💔 Welcome Home 😉 Marinemomof3 ❤️🇺🇲

[@shoelessb4515]

@@dawnoceanside7300 66,67, and 68 we're indeed strange times . Not old enough to drink or vote. We thought we were winning. Politicians and college kids waved VC flags and burned ours. Same old B.S.

[@Gurkha73able]

If you don't have freedom in your own country, don't go fighting for it in S E Asia.

[@stan4now]

But the defense industry needs the money. President Eisenhower warned about their war machine.

[@goatthulu6662]

Cannot wait for this! Love all of your output as of late. Cheers!

[@MarkChesak]

Fantastic! Editing, still animation, typography, research. And most of all the subject matter. Honest and compelling, while exposing what is all-too-relevant content for America right now. This is one of the best American Experience Films I’ve seen in a long time!

[@kaleidoset2569]

Very interesting topic

[@D0praise]

Hmm, I came to say Senator Harris was right.

[@ravenmay8773]

I saw the entire documentary last night. I really enjoyed it. I was and was not surprised that Johnson didn’t want to acknowledge the final report.

[@charlessmith-vh9cw]

the truth is that if racism disappeared there would still be very huge problems. racism is not the only or indeed the biggest difficulty. racism has become more of an excuse

[@tarynolyvia]

This is so interesting and important.

[@ZeroToPatrick]

What was it Lyndon Johnson said about “voting Democrat for two hundred years”…?

[@jaye4111]

Please. Neither party has no interest in helping POC.

[@ZeroToPatrick]

@@jaye4111 Exactly. LBJ never helped anyone but himself. Ever.

[@twonumber22]

​@@ZeroToPatrick Well that's obviously not true for any President.

[@garylefevers]

ZeroToPatrick, Imo there is no such thing as an honest politician. However, Johnson "War on Poverty" literally save many lives here in Coal Country. In fact is was not nearly enough but anything is better than absolutely nothing. I was abandoned as a child to live with my grandmother and older sister who she was already raising. Yet had I not been adopted shortly after I would have died before I was two years old. A pedestrian told my adoptive parents this according to them. Apparently I was suffering from malnutrition, worms, a and a severe ear infection. My grandfather was killed in the Harlan County coal mines. So she had little to no resources but did raise a garden every year and made our clothes. She would so seamstress work when needed. Which was much more rare those days because every family had a sewing machine. Even the poor. My point is that at least he tried to help. Much more effort than the subsequent politicians that replaced him.

[@susiefairfield7218]

🎶🎶 We used to play for silver Now we play for life One's for sport and one's for blood At the point of a knife Now the die is shaken Now the die must fall There ain't a winner in this game Who don't go home with all Not with all...🎶🎶

[@jp783]

Love that song/lyric. Has absolutely nothing, and I mean nothing, to do with this video.

[@loriwest7887]

Sure don’t try to change things

[@roberthevern6169]

Changing things takes time....the sheer momentum is like slowing a fully loaded freight train, ot can take miles!

[@marthaolmsted4029]

Maybe you should have focused on poverty and education for both blacks and whites like Johnson should have done during reconstruction. In 1865, all but the elite at the top were poor and uneducated in the south regardless of race. The great migration had just happened in 1967. There was discrimination felt by northern whites and blacks against the southern behaviors exhibited by the southern blacks who moved north that was real and understandable.

[@roberthevern6169]

I've heard of 'systemic' racism, but 'systematic'....not so much....

[@miro.georgiev97]

The distinction between the two terms is fairly small but still meaningful. "Systemic" implies that the _thing itself_ (racism) is part of a larger system (society), whereas "systematic" implies that an _approach_ is done with intent and organization. Racism can be and is both: it's systemic because it's not the only form of discrimination that exists in "The System," i.e., society, and it's systematic because many different institutions, such as civil and criminal law, the housing market, the job market, etc., have developed methods deliberately to deny certain groups of people rights and opportunities enjoyed by others for no reason other than arbitrary characteristics over which they have no control, such as, in this case, skin color and the assigned meaning of "belonging to an inferior race." Mind you that "systemic" has grown in use while "systematic" has diminished, suggesting a growing preference for the former word to encompass both of the meanings I described above.

[@RottenInDenmarkOrginal]

@@miro.georgiev97Name ONE THING someone in this day and age, in the USA, CANNOT DO due to “racism”GO!

[@wills2140]

Vote in some precincts across America. Bait used to be believable . ..

[@aftonair]

​@@miro.georgiev97that is interesting. Thanks.

[@seeleunit2000]

.... Why are you trying to quibble about this ? North America has a serious racism problem that its never dealt, with which we're still dealing with the after effects. So, unless you are trying to deliberately down play this issue, what's your point ?

[@555dallen]

Despite all his flaws, I love LBJ.

[@von8298]

Yah, only jfk, MLK, rfk, malcom x were assassinated on his watch. 🤔

[@luisreyes1963]

Despite his administration further deepening our involvement in Vietnam?

[@MrBird2007]

​@@luisreyes1963My grandparents still get angry whenever LBJ gets brought up in conversations. They loathed him.

[@pooddescrewch8718]

Man you miss the obvious

[@roberthevern6169]

​@@luisreyes1963and believing the Warren Commission!

[@AmericasUntoldDestinations-k6y]

I always get drawn into your videos! If you’re interested in untold stories from different U.S. states, you might enjoy the content I’m sharing on my channel too.

[@facelessman7733]

MAGAs pay attention.

[@stan4now]

We all have fear and hate that President Obama encouraged us to address.

[@simongentry]

racism is what’s happening in Palestine. another place, another kind, but it’s the same outcome.

[@stan4now]

In God's Holy Name, too. Jesus' prophecy came true and could come true again, especially taking land we believe is ours by eminent domain. It's why Native Americans were forced on reservations. Same thing. Cf. Luke 19 : 41 - 44 1 Kings 22

[@TimJameson-jg8sl]

Incorrect do more research 😂

[@brianmarcum8306]

Fred Harris should have been elected President in 1976.

[@roberthevern6169]

So he could battle systematic racism?

[@stan4now]

America elected President Jimmy Carter because he was and is a progressive Christian. But despite his great accomplishments, corporate America financed the Republican backroom dealings with Iran to delay the release of hostages, which was in Reagan's favor. Who sold Iran all those F-15 fighter jets that were later used against us? Cf. The Iran-contra scandal Any wonder President Carter has an even greater following, especially among youthful voters who embrace peace tjru coexistence, especially in the Holy Land?

[@swampfoxx81]

Harris was wrong

[@joshuaphillips755]

The racist said.

[@henrykrinkle268]

So was your mother

[@NeighborhoodOfBlue]

@swampfoxx81 elaborate and defend your statement. Specifically, what was Harris wrong about?

[@ron1352]

@@henrykrinkle268😂😂😂😂

[@garylefevers]

@swampfoxx81, are you a racist or just a troll? Either way you obviously can not say why you think that racism and poverty was/is not a problem. Because you know that is indeed a problem but do not want to admit it, imo.