The Southern Poverty Law Center was founded in the early 1970s as a nonprofit legal center working to expose and combat the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacist organizations in Alabama and across the Deep South. Since then, it has grown into one of the nation’s pre-eminent social justice organizations, working around the country on legal, educational, and advocacy strategies to combat racism and racial violence. The SPLC was most recently in the press for partnering with the New York Times and other media outlets on the release of a cache of controversial emails from Stephen Miller, who is now the White House’s top policy advisor on immigration issues.

For the last two decades Heidi Beirich has led the SPLC’s “Intelligence Report,” one of its most well-known and, at times, controversial undertakings, which seeks to track the evolution and movement of hate groups across the country. Charitable organizations, law enforcement agencies, and policy makers at all levels utilize the Intelligence Report to better understand hate in America. Heidi spoke to us about this aspect of their work, how she sees hate changing in America, and what role she feels the SPLC should be playing moving forward.

Referenced in this episode:

“Southern Poverty Law Center Loses Intel-Gathering Boss.” The Daily Beast, October 28, 2019.

“Accelerationism: the obscure idea inspiring white supremacist killers around the world.” Vox.com, November 18, 2019.

“A Racist Book’s Malign and Lingering Influence.” The New York Times, November 22, 2019.