麻豆社

This programme is part of 麻豆社 Four鈥檚 All American - a collection of 麻豆社 programmes from the archives about US culture. Available online to watch in full.

Hailed by Americans as the most prestigious horse racing event in the calendar, the Kentucky Derby was broadcast annually to over 75 million American homes. They tuned in to marvel at the dazzling array of handsome local Colonels and pretty Southern belles parading the stands, as well as the sight of the magnificent thoroughbred horses. But, in 1967, it also presented an opportunity for the local black population to turn out in their numbers to protest against residential segregation laws, which upheld the exclusion of black people from purchasing homes in predominately white areas. The activists turned up determined to disrupt, derail and prevent the Derby from taking place. Alan Whicker follows the story.

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