. >> reporter: thomas dixon is a local pastor. >> the evidence from the community. the reports from the community were longstanding. >> black lives matter. >> reporter: vigils and protests followed as grief gave way to hope that a new approach was imminent. >> today we're here to formally announce -- >> reporter: a year after scott's death, local officials and the justice department launched a collaborative review of the north charleston police. the voluntary process in which the north charleston police department agreed to participate involved compiling a report. that report would be released to the public along with recommendations for reform. >> the department -- >> reporter: vanita gupta ran the obama administration's civil rights division. >> most americans have not heard of the collaborative reform initiative. why does it matter? >> it would have been another tool that the justice department had to work with communities and local leadership. >> reporter: but in 2017 then attorney general jeff sessions overhauled the program, ending the assessment process and t

he went to school with thomas dixon who wrote the book the clansman on which it was based. and i will sad that he was pretty indifferent about the influenza pandemic that hit the nation. he was focused on world war one. on the other hand, he tried to create the first version of the united nations and failed. he was a progressive in terms of business and labor relations. he was a genuine reformer. and he was probably the best friend up until that time that jewish americans had in the white house. he appointed the first jewish supreme court justice. so it's a mixed bag. but in celebrating him we have to recognize his shortcomings. and although he was generally successful president on national issues he was a disaster in terms of turning the clock back on black rights. so all such presidents are going to be subjected to a reexamination. i think we should do them maturely and remember that everyone is in a way complicit. this is not just southerners who ran away with public memory. i would say that let's keep in mind that the lee statue and the jackson statue in richmond were b

. >> reporter: thomas dixon is a local pastor. >> the evidence from the community, the reports from thetanding. >> black lives matter! >> reporter: vigils and protests followed as grief gave way to hope that a new approach was imminent. >> today we're here to formally announce -- >> reporter: a year after scott's death, local officials launched a review of the north charleston police. the voluntary process in which the police department agreed to participate involved compiling a report. that report would be released to the public along with recommendations for reform. >> the department -- >> reporter: vinita gupta ran the obama administration's civil rights division. >> most americans have not heard of the collaborative reform initiative. why does it matter? >> it would have been another tool that the justice department had to work with communities and local leadership. >> reporter: but in 2017, then-attorney general jeff sessions overhauled the program, ending the assessment process and the release of public reports. a department of justice spokesperson says, "the program modifications

he went to school with thomas dixon who wrote the book the clansman on which it was based.nd i will sad that he was pretty indifferent about the influenza pandemic that hit the nation. he was focused on world war one. on the other hand, he tried to create the first version of the united nations and failed. he was a progressive in terms of business and labor relations. he was a genuine reformer. and he was probably the best friend up until that time that jewish americans had in the white house. he appointed the first jewish supreme court justice. so it's a mixed bag. but in celebrating him we have to recognize his shortcomings. and although he was generally successful president on national issues he was a disaster in terms of turning the clock back on black rights. so all such presidents are going to be subjected to a reexamination. i think we should do them maturely and remember that everyone is in a way complicit. this is not just southerners who ran away with public memory. i would say that let's keep in mind that the lee statue and the jackson statue in richmond were bot