John Legend got his facts right in Academy Award speech

Singer John Legend rocked the Academy Award show Sunday night with his stirring song “Glory,” which won the award for Best Original Song.

In his acceptance speech, Legend talked about continuing racial discrimination in the United States, which he called “the most incarcerated country in the world,” saying there are more black men “under correctional control than were under slavery in 1850.”

PolitiFact Rhode Island examined a similar claim in December, from Diego Arene-Morley, president of Brown University Students for Sensible Drug Policy.

“There are more African-American men in prison, jail, on probation or parole than were enslaved in 1850,” Arene-Morley said.

PolitiFact Rhode Island ruled Arene-Morley’s claim True.

Read more about the facts behind what Legend said during his acceptance speech.