Kerner Commission Report on Racial Division

In the summer of 1967, racial unrest erupted across American cities, culminating in devastating riots in Newark and Detroit that left the nation in shock. In response, President Lyndon B. Johnson established the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders, tasked with answering three critical questions What happened? Why did it happen? What can be done to prevent it from happening again? The Commissions findings revealed a troubling truth America is drifting towards two distinct societies—one black and one white—both separate and unequal. However, this growing divide is not an unavoidable fate; it can be reversed. The Commission emphasizes that the power to choose a unified path remains within our grasp. Our primary goal is to articulate that choice and advocate for a national resolution to heal the fractures in our society.