In the wake of the 2020 killing of George Floyd, and a renewed global spotlight on racial inequity, we asked Bowdoin professor and senior writer-in-residence Anthony Walton to revisit an essay he wrote for The New York Times 31 years ago. A political action committee had used ads featuring Willie Horton, a murderer, during the 1988 presidential election in order to frighten white voters, but it turned out to be much more than just a strategy to make one side seem soft on crime.
From the Judges
What sets this feature apart is the fearlessness and directness of the writing, and how it takes on a difficult subject without flinching. Good prose, and excellent editing and flow.
