About this episode
<p>In this episode, Roman and historians Heather Ann Thompson and Elliot Williams tell the story of the sharpened screwdriver: the object at the heart of the 1984 Bernhard Goetz subway shooting. In a difficult moment in New York City, four Black teenagers were transformed in the public imagination into armed criminals. What follows is a gripping account of how misinformation takes hold, how fear shapes public opinion, and how one narrative can ripple outward – echoing through decades of similar cases that continue to unfold today.</p> <p><a href="https://99pi.org/100" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><i>A History of the United States in 100 Objects</i></a> is a production of <a href="https://99percentinvisible.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">99% Invisible</a> and <a href="https://www.bbcstudios.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">BBC Studios</a>.</p> <p><p>Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. <br><br>Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting <a href="http://siriusxm.com/podcastsplus." target="_blank">siriusxm.com/podcastsplus</a>. </p></p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>