Race Relations in America

1975. Geraldo Rivera on his Good Night America program goes on the streets and on the block in Harlem, Manhattan U.S.A. Of NYC's roughly 300 street gangs 36 find their homes in Harlem. Drugs, alcoholism, criminality, these issues haunt all parts of America but it is the poor, especially in the poorest areas, that feel their effects most acutely. As James Baldwin once said, "Walk down any street in Harlem and see what we, this nation, have become."

Around this period of time occurred what is sometimes called 'The Heroin Epidemic'.

In 2025, Harlem is a much safer place than it once was. The neighborhood as a whole suffers an average 80%+ higher crime rate than the rest of the country, about 40% higher than the rest of New York City.

Some of the original music in this historical segment has been replaced.

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May 24, 1995. Geraldo Rivera's namesake talk show brings us the latest trend of white girls and black men, those who are in it for sex status and style.

"They're always talkin 'bout you're taking our men or whatever, I consider it all to be jealousy, it's all jealousy..."

The several girls in studio begin by describing their reasons for preferring to date interracial. Generally they consider the white man to be goofy and trying too hard, black guys are more down for their girls. We hear from the audience, and then the boyfriends come in studio. One of them, Jamie, claims white women are just a convenience he doesn't intend on being with one long term.

This day, Geraldo's television history.

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Four years after the infamous Skinhead brawl, the hate debate returns to studio - this time with victims facing the KKK on stage. February 12th, 1992.

Roy Innis of CORE confronts ex-Grand Dragon Danny Carver and Klansmen from Georgia in an unedited historical document about racial violence in America during the early 90s.The first segment focuses on re-introducing the conflict. After a flashback to that original famous studio brawl, Danny Carver, Greg Walker and Dave Holland of the Southern White Knights, plus self-described great-grandma in the Klan Elizabeth Carey, lay out their views on pride, separation, drugs and government, with immediate pushback from Roy Innis.

Moving on from Danny Carver's racist insinuations we hear from the victims, changing the entire tone of the show. 12-year-old Brian from New York City, attacked and face-painted by white youths, speaks quietly backstage about humiliation, bad dreams, and why he judges people by character not color. Loretta Printup describes the murder of her 15-year-old honor-student son in Ohio by the son of a Klan leader and the desecration of his grave, while her older sons now at Ohio State challenge the Klansmen directly.

The middle and closing turns into open confrontation over affirmative action, crime statistics, David Duke, and segregated schools, ending with Carver's call to keep the white race pure and Innis warning about media and politicians blowing up small incidents -- this makes hate groups feel like they are winning.

Presented for education about  ku klux klan history and bias-motivated violence. Hateful language by guests is condemned and retained only for historical accuracy.

START WITH THE ORIGINAL 1988 ENCOUNTER - in 3 parts on YouTube:
Part 1 - 'Skinheads' on set, the segment before the brawl, part 1. Geraldo talks to the nazis https://youtu.be/PaEOwCepV-c
Part 2 - 1988. Skinhead brawl. Geraldo Rivera, Roy Innis, Rabbi Goldman and 3 nazis on set
https://youtu.be/VoETKm2hWsY
Part 3 - 1988. Hate Mongers after the brawl, the audience and non-racist skinheads speak
https://youtu.be/i6wG6ZaoTYE

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Opening - two and a half years after the brawl
01:10 Meet the Klansmen - Carver, Southern White Knights, Elizabeth Carey
07:28 Affirmative action fight - Innis vs Carver
09:42 Victims introduced - Brian, 12, and Loretta Printup
14:37 Mothers speak - grief, unity, fighting back
21:37 Backstage with Brian - humiliation, character not color
26:33 Audience turns - hoods, crime claims, Ohio State sons push back
32:28 Leaders and media blamed - Innis on politicians
38:40 Final statements - white purity call, Innis warning, closing for dialogue

Featuring Roy Innis, Danny Carver, Southern White Knights, victims and audience confrontation.

This day, Geraldo's Television History.

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July 3rd, 1990. Geraldo Rivera on his namesake talk show hosts a panel of notable community members to discuss race relations both in New York City and acrosst he nation. How would you ease racial tensions?

"Roy Innis do you consider Reverend Sharpton to be part of the solution to racial problems ... in this nation, or part of the problem?"

In addition to Roy and Al the panel includes C Vernon mason an ally of Mr. Sharpton, Stephen Murphy a very public attorney defending white youths, Collin Moore an attorney who represents racial victims, Baek Cho owner of a Korean supermarket and Harriet Bogart of the ADL.

This show takes places during the events of the "Family Red Apple Boycott", where a Haitian woman was allegedly assaulted by a Korean shopkeeper. The boycott lasted 18 months.

This day in Geraldo's television history.

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July 27th, 1992. Geraldo Rivera on his namesake talk reminds us of his own personal cultural background, before we get to the story of the day: interracial couples and the pressures they can be under.

"Race is America's dirty little secret folks. Don't like to talk about it, but the racial tension....thicker than fog."

We move on to meet Shaun, who doesn't like when white girls lose their identity and act like a black person. Mom speaks out about being cut off from family for marrying a black man.

This day, Geraldo's television history.

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1975. Geraldo Rivera's Good Night America program with a segment covering the recent Klu Klux Klan-sponsored cross burning outside New Orleans.

"It's much more complicated than that, and in a way it's much more frightening than the old stereotypes..."

An introduction brings us into the Patriot Book Store, the KKK's headquarters in New Orleans, and it's smooth-talking leader David Duke. Some of the books are shown as Mr. Duke defends that literature, and the office manager speaks about her beliefs, sincere as they seem. A youth stops by. Maybe thanks to a recent press blitz, he thinks the KKK is just a regular organization like any other.

Mr. Dukes says blacks and whites are fundamentally incompatible, if some want to stay in the country they could, but shouldn't infringe on the white way of life, standards, values. He seems to look forward to a day when America is an all-white country.

The tail end of this clip shows a cross burning, and closes with a reminder. In the new Klu Klux Klan, the violence is not directed just against black people -- it's against the conscience of all good thinking people anywhere.

David Duke has held political office in Louisiana and continues to be active.

This day, Geraldo's Television History.

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May 14th, 1996. Geraldo Rivera's namesake talk show discusses white skin privilege as well as the personal issues between friends of different races.

"What we've accomplished, they think they're better. That a white woman would say I don't....black people have never been that lucky."

Charmaine Jones tells why black women should be with black men, the sisters support the brothers. Julianne Malveaux Phd talks about how black women are the lowest on the social totem pole at the start. Another woman says she has no problem with interracial dating but has seen children suffer from having parents of two different races. She says it's up to white and black women to bridge the gap.

Midge Wilson author of Divided Sisters, Deborah Mitchell Geraldo's Supervising Producer as well as several guests who are best friends with members of the opposite race fill out the set.

This day, Geraldo's Television History.

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January 25th, 1995. Geraldo Rivera on his namesake talk show brings us this segment on black men on the hook for crimes they did not commit.

"So we picked out I said look, just keep it tight have 2 people...kicked in the door...kicked her...took all the S**T...."

Shortly into the clip we meet 'Lucky', a criminal white man who says it's easy to blame his terrible crimes on blacks. After a few minutes with this sorry character we meet Dr Earl Hutchinson, PHd as he describes America's negative image of young black men.

This day, Geraldo's television history.

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"It's only the people without tomorrow that can do violence to today."

1992. Geraldo Rivera is on the Arsenio Hall show in the time-frame of the Los Angeles riots, with unrest intensifying after a jury acquits 4 officers who beat and arrested Rodney King. The conversation moves on to the riots, what was going on with police chief Daryl Gates, who claimed not to know what was going on? Is blaming the media for sensationalizing blaming the messenger? How is it possible that 15 helicopters can be filming someone getting beaten to death and authorities are nowhere to stop the violence?

This is a very interesting segment between Arsenio and Geraldo, moving into politics and the state of the country. Can the country solve its race problem?

"...the string that connects the people of the inner city to the system, is a tiny fragile string right now..."

"... why are they not talking about what is obvious to everybody? That every day that goes by, the inner city gets poorer..."

"...usually, the violence and the chaos is confined to the inner city, and usually it doesn't make the evening news. Now it's spilled over.."

Later in the segment Geraldo talks about his book Exposing Myself, of which the proceeds were donated to help a class from Harlem go to college.

The L.A. riots continued for six days and were tempered when the California national guard and United States military deployed troops to stop the violence. Inner city strife continues to be a major issue in urban centers across the country.

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