Barack Obama’s two Presidential campaigns were defined, in part by the black voters they brought to the polls. In both 2008 and 2012, African-American women voted at a higher rate than any other demographic group in the country. But the latest analyses show that in 2016, African-Americans voted at a lower rate than any other group. Magic Grantees June Cross, a Documentary Filmmaker, and Charlotte Braithwaite, a Theater Director, will explore how foreign interference, gerrymandering, and domestic legal challenges like including voter ID laws combined to suppress the black vote in 2016. They will use “big data” to inform shoe leather reporting, with the results presented as projected data, pre-recorded audio interviews, and some re-enacted interviews in a theatrical setting. The team will include historical video archives and develop a production design for five 3-5 minute videos. Their aim is to “Wake” the larger African-American community to the impact voter suppression campaigns waged on social media, in the courts, and in state legislatures.
