A newly uncovered photograph of a college-aged Bernie Sanders getting arrested during a civil rights protest could bolster the Democratic presidential hopeful’s civil rights record as he battles with Hillary Clinton to win black voters, a key demographic in the upcoming South Carolina primary.
The photograph was discovered by the Chicago Tribune and confirmed as authentic by the candidate himself on Friday. “Bernie identified it himself,” senior campaign advisor Tad Devine told the Chicago Tribune. “He looked at it — he actually has his student ID from the University of Chicago in his wallet — and he said, ‘Yes, that indeed is (me).'”
The arrest occurred during a 1963 civil rights protest of segregation in Chicago schools, when Sanders was a student at the University of Chicago. He was charged with resisting arrest, found guilty, and fined $25.
The release of the photograph comes at a key time in the election, when Sanders and Hillary Clinton are battling for support among African Americans and other minorities in the Nevada Caucus Saturday and the South Carolina Primary next weekend. In South Carolina, Clinton is currently leading with black voters. According to an NBC/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll released Friday, 78% of black voters over 45 support Clinton (12% support Sanders) and black voters under 45 support Clinton 52-35.
See Bernie Sanders' Career in Photographs
Bernie Sanders (R), member of the steering committee, stands next to George Beadle, University of Chicago president, who is speaking at a Committee On Racial Equality meeting on housing sit-ins. 1962.Special Collections Research Center/University of Chicago LibraryA photo taken on July 22, 2015 of Bernie Sanders and his son is seen in an old clip from an alternative newspaper called the Vermont Freeman in Burlington, VT.The Washington Post/Getty ImagesBernie Sanders in his office after winning his first election as the mayor of Burlington, Vt. on Sept. 15, 1981.Donna Light—APBernie Sanders, right, greeted voters at a Burlington polling place on March 1, 1983 in Burlington, Vt.Donna Light—APBernie Sanders and his campaign celebrating after his mayoral re-election circa 1983 in Burlington, Vt.Courtesy of Bernie Sanders CampaignBernie Sanders recording his singing in a studio Nov. 20, 1987 in Burlington, Vt.Toby Talbot—APBernie Sanders and his wife Jane O'Meara in Washington circa 1991.Courtesy of Bernie Sanders CampaignBernie Sanders, James Jeffords and Patrick Leahy toast to the passing of the Northeast Dairy Compact on June 14, 2006 in Montpelier, Vt.Toby Talbot—APBernie Sanders officially announces his candidacy for U.S. Senate on May 19, 2006, at the Unitarian Church in Burlington, Vt. Alden Pelett—APBernie Sanders and the other members of the Vermont Congressional delegation at the annual lighting of U.S. Capitol Christmas on Dec. 5, 2007 in Washington.Chip Somodevilla—Getty ImagesSenate Majority Leader Harry Reid speaks during a rally in support of Social Security with Sen. Tom Harkin and Bernie Sanders on March 28, 2011 in Washington.Chip Somodevilla—Getty ImagesRep. Steve Cohen and Bernie Sanders attend a rally near the reflection pool, held by 350.org to protest the amount of money members of Congress receive from the fossil fuel industry on Jan. 24, 2012. Tom Williams—Getty ImagesBernie Sanders at the signing ceremony of Veterans' Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act on Aug. 7, 2014 in Belvoir, Va.Alex Wong—Getty ImagesBernie Sanders waits to speak at a rally to advocate for an increase in pay to $15 USD per hour, as part of a "Fight for $15" labor effort on April 22, 2015 in Washington.Brendan Smialowski—AFP/Getty ImagesBernie Sanders shakes Colleen Green's hand as he leaves a town hall meeting on May 11, 2015. in Charlottesville, Va.Jay Paul— ReutersBernie Sanders kisses his wife, Jane O'Meara, before officially announcing his candidacy for the U.S. presidency during an event at Waterfront Park May 26, 2015 in Burlington, Vt. Win McNamee—Getty ImagesBernie Sanders delivers remarks at a town meeting at the South Church May 27, 2015 in Portsmouth, N.H.Win McNamee—Getty ImagesBernie Sanders speaks during a news conference to discuss legislation to restore pension guarantees for thousands of retired union workers on June 18, 2015 in Washington.Jim Watson—AFP/Getty ImagesBernie Sanders kisses his wife Jane O'Meara during a campaign event on Aug. 10, 2015 in Los Angeles.Bloomberg/Getty ImagesBernie Sanders speaks to a primarily Latino audience during a campaign stop at the Muscatine Boxing Club on Sept. 4, 2015 in Muscatine, Iowa.Bloomberg/Getty ImagesBernie Sanders and Jerry Falwell Jr., president of Liberty University, listen to a prayer during a Liberty University Convocation on Sept. 14, 2015 in Lynchburg, Va.Bloomberg/Getty ImagesDemocratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, right, and his wife Jane O’Meara, wave to the crowd as he is announced onstage to speak to supporters during a campaign rally on Sept. 14, 2015 in Manassas, Va.Cliff Owen—APBernie Sanders joins Cornell William Brooks in a march with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) on Sept. 15, 2015 from Selma, Ala. to Washington.Brendan Smialowski—AFP/Getty Images
