Tanner Lecture: The New Jim Crow

The Tanner Lecture Series on Ethics, Citizenship, and Public Responsibility will host Michelle Alexander, a civil rights attorney, advocate, legal scholar, and author of The New York Times best-seller, "The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness." In this moderated dialogue, Michelle will discuss breaking the silence about racial injustice in the American legal system.

In her book, "The New Jim Crow," she explores the cultural biases that still exist and how segregation has been replaced by mass incarceration. Currently, there are more African Americans in prison than were enslaved in 1850. She blames the drug war for many of these, as people are then labeled as felons and stuck in an endless cycle of discrimination. How can they improve their lives when they can’t get a job, housing or health benefits?

During this conversation, the acclaimed civil rights lawyer explores the myths surrounding our criminal justice system from a racial and ethical standpoint and offers solutions for combating this epidemic.