Two Societies
The Haunting Relevance of the Kerner Commission’s Report
In an era of racial tension and violence, President Lyndon B. Johnson charged a bipartisan team, later known as the Kerner Commission, to investigate the root causes of 1967's riot-filled "Long, Hot Summer." That commission warned of the discriminatory development of "two societies, one black, one white," and made progressive recommendations to address racial disparity in America 50 years ago. Like the original Kerner Commission, the Vera Institute of Justice is committed to highlighting and eliminating persistant racial injustices. This blog series honors the 50th anniversary of the Kerner Commission's 1968 report.
