Before United Airlines: The History of Civil Rights Abuses in Transportation (Audio)
A bus station in Durham, N.C., in 1940. (Wikimedia Commons)
Many were stunned last week by the viral footage of a man’s violent removal from an overbooked United Airlines flight — but as author and filmmaker Robin Washington notes in a recent article for the nonprofit news organization The Marshall Project, this use of excessive force in transportation has years of historical precedent.
In this week’s episode of the podcast “This Is Happening,” host Jerry Quickly sits down with Washington to discuss the history of abuse in American transportation, and how this history pertains to the case of United Airlines and Dr. David Dao.
“It’s, unfortunately, as American as apple pie,” Washington says. While Washington isn’t sure that Dao’s removal was racially motivated, he points out similarities with transportation carrier rules throughout the decades, whether on Jim Crow-era buses or modern-day aircraft.
Listen to the full podcast below:
If you're reading this, you probably already know that non-profit, independent journalism is under threat worldwide. Independent news sites are overshadowed by larger heavily funded mainstream media that inundate us with hype and noise that barely scratch the surface. We believe that our readers deserve to know the full story. Truthdig writers bravely dig beneath the headlines to give you thought-provoking, investigative reporting and analysis that tells you what’s really happening and who’s rolling up their sleeves to do something about it.
Like you, we believe a well-informed public that doesn’t have blind faith in the status quo can help change the world. Your contribution of as little as $5 monthly or $35 annually will make you a groundbreaking member and lays the foundation of our work.
Support Truthdig
There are currently no responses to this article.
Be the first to respond.