The poor relationship between the black community and the police is long standing, it's generational. The Law and Order Branch tends to operate against the liberties of people of color.
Former President Ronald Reagan criminalizes economic inequality, drug abuse and hypersegregation in America in the form of "waging war on drugs". Mass amounts of African American's and people of color gain large sentences during the crack epidemic.
James confronts John Adams about his defending British troops at the Boston Massacre. This illustrates the changing of loyalties that many had during the time of the British Colonies in America.