Report of the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders (Kerner Commission Report)


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The summer of 1967 again brought racial disorders to American cities, and with them shock, fear and bewilderment to the nation. The worst came during a two-week period in July, first in Newark and then in Detroit. Each set off a chain reaction in neighboring communities. On July 28, 1967, the President of the United States [Lyndon B. Johnson] established this Commission and directed us to answer three basic questions:
What happened?
Why did it happen?
What can be done to prevent it from happening again?

This is our basic conclusion: Our nation is moving toward two societies, one black, one white--separate and unequal. This deepening racial division is not inevitable. The movement apart can be reversed. Choice is still possible. Our principal task is to define that choice and to press for a national resolution. - Summary from the Introduction

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Summary, part 1 28:06 Read by realisticspeakers
Summary, part 2 20:13 Read by Michele Fry
Summary, part 3 21:23 Read by Michele Fry
Summary, part 4 19:45 Read by Michele Fry
Preface 11:50 Read by Craig Campbell
Ch 1 Profiles of Disorder: Introduction 17:46 Read by Colleen McMahon
Ch 1 Profiles of Disorder: Tampa 17:23 Read by William Allan Jones
Ch 1 Profiles of Disorder: Cincinnati 18:29 Read by William Allan Jones
Ch 1 Profiles of Disorder: Atlanta 11:37 Read by Colleen McMahon
Ch 1 Profiles of Disorder: Newark 33:40 Read by Eric Evans
Ch 1 Profiles of Disorder: Northern New Jersey 16:22 Read by Eric Evans
Ch 1 Profiles of Disorder: Plainfield and New Brunswick 31:50 Read by PhyllisV
Ch 1 Profiles of Disorder: Detroit, part 1 25:08 Read by PhyllisV
Ch 1 Profiles of Disorder: Detroit, part 2 25:26 Read by PhyllisV
Ch 1 Profiles of Disorder: Detroit, part 3 19:35 Read by PhyllisV
Ch 1 Profiles of Disorder: Detroit, part 4, Methodology 17:01 Read by PhyllisV
Ch 2 Patterns of Disorder: Introduction, The Pattern of Violence and Damage 23:45 Read by ToddHW
Ch 2 Patterns of Disorder: The Riot Process 27:28 Read by Eric Evans
Ch 2 Patterns of Disorder: The Riot Participant 22:14 Read by Eric Evans
Ch 2 Patterns of Disorder: The Background of Disorder 37:51 Read by marwalk
Ch 2 Patterns of Disorder: The Aftermath of Disorder 15:45 Read by marwalk
Ch 3 Organized Activity 5:34 Read by Eric Evans
Ch 4 The Basic Causes 10:45 Read by Eric Evans
Ch 5 Rejection and Protest: An Historical Sketch part 1 24:05 Read by Maria Kasper
Ch 5 Rejection and Protest: An Historical Sketch part 2 25:43 Read by Maria Kasper
Ch 5 Rejection and Protest: An Historical Sketch part 3 19:49 Read by Maria Kasper
Ch 5 Rejection and Protest: An Historical Sketch part 4 23:06 Read by Maria Kasper
Ch 6 The Formation of the Racial Ghettos 30:10 Read by Peter Kuhn
Ch 7 Unemployment, Family Structure and Social Disorganization, part 1 22:30 Read by marwalk
Ch 7 Unemployment, Family Structure and Social Disorganization, part 2 15:52 Read by marwalk
Ch 8 Conditions of Life in the Racial Ghetto 37:22 Read by Peter Kuhn
Ch 9 Comparing the Immigrant and Negro Experience 14:29 Read by Craig Campbell
Ch 10 The Community Response, part 1 22:11 Read by Eric Evans
Ch 10 The Community Response, part 2 20:52 Read by Eric Evans
Ch 11 Police and the Community, part 1 25:48 Read by Maria Kasper
Ch 11 Police and the Community, part 2 22:05 Read by Maria Kasper
Ch 11 Police and the Community, part 3 18:25 Read by Maria Kasper
Ch 12 Control of Disorder, part 1 17:55 Read by Maria Kasper
Ch 12 Control of Disorder, part 2 22:19 Read by Maria Kasper
Ch 13 The Administration of Justice Under Emergency Conditions, part 1 19:11 Read by Maria Kasper
Ch 13 The Administration of Justice Under Emergency Conditions, part 2 21:54 Read by Maria Kasper
Ch 13 The Administration of Justice Under Emergency Conditions, part 3 15:52 Read by Maria Kasper
Ch 14 Damages: Repair and Compensation 10:25 Read by KevinS
Ch 15 The News Media and The Disorders, part 1 17:32 Read by Maria Kasper
Ch 15 The News Media and The Disorders, part 2 32:13 Read by Maria Kasper
Ch 15 The News Media and The Disorders, part 3 13:07 Read by Maria Kasper
Ch 15 The News Media and The Disorders, part 4 22:27 Read by Maria Kasper
Ch 16 The Future of the Cities, part 1 27:14 Read by Availle
Ch 16 The Future of the Cities, part 2 28:16 Read by Availle
Ch 17 Recommendations for National Action, part 1 19:08 Read by Mark Goodger
Ch 17 Recommendations for National Action, part 2 18:19 Read by ToddHW
Ch 17 Recommendations for National Action, part 3 15:24 Read by Maria Kasper
Ch 17 Recommendations for National Action, part 4 28:41 Read by Maria Kasper
Ch 17 Recommendations for National Action, part 5 25:49 Read by Maria Kasper
Ch 17 Recommendations for National Action, part 6 30:49 Read by Maria Kasper
Ch 17 Recommendations for National Action, part 7 31:04 Read by Maria Kasper
Ch 17 Recommendations for National Action, part 8 25:46 Read by Maria Kasper
Ch 17 Recommendations for National Action, part 9 25:35 Read by Maria Kasper
Conclusion 1:56 Read by BettyB
Supplement on Control of Disorder: The Police 31:58 Read by KevinS
Supplement on Control of Disorder: Fire Departments 12:34 Read by KevinS
Supplement on Control of Disorder: State Response 36:19 Read by KevinS
Supplement on Control of Disorder: Army Response 9:34 Read by KevinS
Supplement on Control of Disorder: Coordinating the Control Response, part 1 20:21 Read by KevinS
Supplement on Control of Disorder: Coordinating the Control Response, part 2 26:42 Read by KevinS
Supplement on Control of Disorder: Legal Needs for Riot Control 17:03 Read by KevinS
Other Supplements: Attorney General Letter, Constitution, Timeline 13:09 Read by Eric Evans
Appendices A-C 19:52 Read by BettyB