Inside Story

Is President Trump to blame for a rise in hate crimes?

The Southern Poverty Law Center says there has been a spike in hate crimes in the US since last year’s election.

The National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC celebrates its first anniversary this week.

It took a century to get it built – a salute to the history, culture and achievements of America’s almost 40 million black people.

Fittingly, it was the Obamas who opened it along with George W Bush, who had signed off on the project.

Its opening could have heralded a new era, a departure from the racism of the past.

But it hasn’t.

In the past 12 months, the US has had perhaps its most divisive election, there’s a new man in the White House and racist violence and hate crimes are on the rise.

So, what’s behind this spike in hate crimes?

Presenter: Martine Dennis

Guests:

Daryl Johnson – Author, Rightwing Resurgence

Day Gardener – President, National Black Pro-Life Union

Corey Saylor – Director, Department to Monitor & Combat Islamophobia, Council on American-Islamic Relations