WEBVTT

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I was recently involved in a study

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that examined the extent to which

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historical lynchings could be linked

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to the contemporary voting behavior

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of Blacks.

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This study came about in 2016

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when I was in graduate school

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and was shocked to learn that

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a few of my friends did not vote

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in the 2016 election.

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When I pushed them on

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why they didn't vote,

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I kept hearing the same thing.

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I don't feel connected.

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I'm totally disconnected

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to this society.

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And I started to wonder

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why that might be the case.

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As I started researching, I found that

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one reason why Blacks were lynched

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in the past

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was to suppress their vote.

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I find that areas that had

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a relatively higher number of lynchings

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that Blacks are less likely

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to register in these areas

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and less likely to indicate

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that they voted in a recent election

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compared to their White counterparts.

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It is important to understand the factors

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that affect Americans' voting behaviors

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so that we can identify the barriers

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that may prevent individuals

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from having their voices heard.