The song is based on Rubin Carter's story. Carter was a boxer with a promising career. However, he was wrongly accused of a triple murder in 1966. The trial was full of problems, including possible racial prejudice. Bob Dylan learned about Carter's case and was outraged by the injustice. So he wrote 'Hurricane' to raise public awareness of Carter's situation, hoping that justice could be served eventually.
The true story behind 'Hurricane' involves Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter. He was an African - American boxer. In 1966, he was arrested and convicted for a triple murder, but there was strong evidence that the conviction was a miscarriage of justice. There were issues with the prosecution's case, such as witness coercion. Bob Dylan became interested in Carter's case and decided to tell his story through song. The song was very influential in bringing more attention to Carter's case and the broader issues of racial injustice in the criminal justice system.