The Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986

Mandatory minimums punish crack 100x more harshly than powder cocaine, devastating Black defendants.

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Documentary tracing the 13th Amendment loophole to mass incarceration.

Connections to other moments, systems, and investigations — the links rarely drawn together.

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The crack epidemic devastates Black cities
Public panic over crack drove Congress to pass mandatory minimums within a year.
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Mass Incarceration
The 100-to-1 crack/powder sentencing disparity funneled a generation of Black defendants into prison.

Public panic over crack drove Congress to pass mandatory minimums within a year.

The 100-to-1 crack/powder sentencing disparity funneled a generation of Black defendants into prison.