Brian D. Behnken

Brian D. Behnken, a professor at Iowa State University specializing in civil rights history, shares insights from his book, Brown and Blue. He discusses how police violence against Mexican Americans sparked the Chicano movement, linking historical abuses to contemporary policing issues. Behnken highlights archival research revealing systemic biases and police misconduct, as well as landmark cases like Hernandez v. Texas that shaped civil rights. He also stresses the importance of community-centered reforms and critiques failed policies that accelerated police militarization.