HOW TO RIG AN ELECTION: THE RACIST HISTORY OF THE 1876 PRESIDENTIAL CONTEST

An 7-minute animated documentary
(SXSW, 2023, released by The Washington Post)

Logline

The most hotly contested presidential election in U.S. history did not take place in 2020, or even 2000. It took place 11 years after the Civil War and ended in a backroom deal with devastating consequences still felt to this day.

Synopsis

The most hotly contested presidential election in U.S. history did not take place in 2000, or even 2020. It took place in 1876, 11 years after the Civil War, when the country was barely unified, and bitter resentment lingered. HOW TO RIG AN ELECTION: THE RACIST HISTORY OF THE 1876 PRESIDENTIAL CONTEST tells the story of an election that sealed the fate of a nation, permitting racism and racist violence to become more deeply embedded in U.S. culture and politics in ways that are still felt to this day. This 7-minute short was executive produced & narrated by Tom Hanks, conceived & written by Jeffery Robinson, animated by Reginald Butler, and directed by Emily Kunstler & Sarah Kunstler.

Credits

Produced and Written by Jeffery Robinson

Produced, Directed and Edited by Emily Kunstler & Sarah Kunstler

Produced by Andrea Crabtree

Co-Produced by Diana Cherry, Jenna Kelly

Executive Producer - Tom Hanks

Narrated by Tom Hanks

Animation - Reginald Butler

Music - Kathryn Bostic