The Jena 6: Institutionalized Racism alive and well in America

Hopefully, everyone has heard about the Jena 6 case, but if not, here is some background information. The case all began back in Sept. 2006 when a black student asked to sit under a tree at Jena high school in LaSalle Parish, Louisiana. Black students began sitting under the tree, typically reserved for white students. The nest day three nooses where hung from the tree. The three white students who hung the nooses were expelled but the Superintendent later reversed the decision and called the "hate crime" a prank. Black students protested by having a sit-in.

On Nov. 30 2006 someone set fore to the Jena school building. On Dec. 1 white students beat up a black student at a party. On Dec. 2 a white convenient store clerk pulls a gun on three black teenagers disarm the man and are arrested for theft of a firearm, the white man is not charged. on Dec 4. Jena High School re-opens after the fire and Justin Barker is attacked by six black students after he racially taunts the black student who was beat-up by whites at a party on Dec. 1. Barker goes to Lasalle general hospital and is released after a few hours and then goes to a social event the same evening. Six black teenagers are arrested and charged with attempted second degree murder and conspiracy.

One of the defendant Mychal Bell, who was 16 years old, was tried as an adult and sentenced to 22 years in prison by an all-white jury and white judge.


To view a timeline and see the most recent updates on the case as well as more background information on the case, click this link:
http://www.thetowntalk.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/99999999/NEWS/399990263/1002

Click these links to see two news pieces done on the Jena 6 by CNN. This piece takes a nonbias approach to reporting on the Jena 6 case by just giving the facts and even showing the sides of both the black and white highschoolers involved:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIHfTfMXFtQ&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMVoV6JMsdA

Click this link to see an independent news piece done by Collateral News TV. This piece took the angle of supporting the black highschoolers invovled, the Jena 6, and gives viewers steps they can take to help the black highschoolers build their defense:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuoiZnr4jLY

To hear an interview with parents of three of the six boys as well as the reporters who broke the story, click this link, scroll to the middle of the page and click where it says "mp3 download:" (The radio show featured in this link is an hour long, but you don't have to listen to the whole thing; Feel free to fast forward to whatever part your deem interesting or useful to you. It is just nice to hear the story from those who witnessed it first hand. )
http://www.democracynow.org/2007/7/10/the_case_of_the_jena_six

Feel free to leave comments or concerns about the Jena 6 case: Had you heard about this case before looking at this blog? What is your take on racism in America today?