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The fatal police shooting of Philando Castile in July rekindled debate over alleged racial profiling by police.


Before Castile was killed by a St. Anthony police officer during a traffic stop, he'd already been either stopped or ticketed by police more than 50 times over a span of 14 years. 


Many African-Americans say they're singled out by police officers in traffic stops, what's often called "driving while black." Some national studies have shown a higher percentage of African-Americans are stopped by police than white or Hispanic drivers.


Three black men talked about their experiences with police, during a roving roundtable discussion as they drove around the Twin Cities in a van.  

Walter Gray, 74, is a self-employed financial advisor who lives in Crystal. He had his first encounter with police in his hometown of Detroit at the age of 10, when he said an officer slapped him.

Ron Johnson, 36, is an independent filmmaker living in Minneapolis. Johnson was 17 and living in Georgia when he and a friend were pulled over by a law enforcement officer who asked if they were transporting drugs.

DeCarlo Jackson, 21, is a musician from St. Paul. Jackson had his first encounter with police at age 12, when he was stopped by an officer as he was running to get to church.

Minneapolis police will track race, gender at traffic stops

Analysis finds minorities arrested at a higher rate than whites in Mpls.

The shooting of Philando Castile

Crime, Law and Justice

Brandt Williams

Author

MPR News tagged along recently with three black men, ages 21 to 74, as they drove around the Twin Cities in a van talking openly about their sometimes tense encounters with police. Listen in.

MPR News tagged along recently with three black men, ages 21 to 74, as they drove around the Twin Cities in a van talking openly about their sometimes tense encounters with police.

Story audio

In 2001, Minnesota Public Radio's Brandt Williams conducted a rolling roundtable discussion on driving while black.

A look back: Driving while black in 2001

Reporter Brandt Williams talked about his experience of being arrested as a young man.

MPR News reporter Brandt Williams shares his experience interacting with police as a young black man

Matthew Hintz for MPR News

The group drives by the memorial to Castile.

What's it like to 'drive while black'? Take a ride with these guys

Go Deeper.

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