August 2024
Embedded Files
The Backbone of the Democratic Party
"Black women have been the wheels on the Democratic bus for a long time, but will we ever sit in the driver's seat?"
...Kimberle Crenshaw
Black women have long been the most loyal constituency in the Democratic party. However, their contribution has primarily been in numbers - not in leadership.
Their role was significant in getting the out the vote in the 2020 election, when Kamala Harris was the vice-presidential nominee, but they've felt all along that they should be playing a more central role. In August of 2020, an event was held to both illuminate the mysogynoir (the combined force of racism and misogyny towards Black women) directed at candidate Harris and to create a path for Black women to achieve greater leadership in the party.
The event was sponsored by the African American Policy Forum (AAPF). "Founded in 1996, the AAPF is an innovative think tank connecting academics, activists and policy-makers to promote efforts to dismantle structural inequality. The organization is dedicated to advancing and expanding racial justice, gender equality, and the indivisibility of all human rights, both in the U.S. and internationally."
Click the graphic on the right to read about and view the conference.
To watch a recording of the event, hosted by Kimberle Crenshaw, click HERE
Who Are These Women ? Where Do They Come From?
They are "different generations with different education levels, different jobs, different backgrounds, different industries, all coming to the table and saying, we’re ready, we’re in," PBS News July 23, 2023
They are members of the four Black sororities, active in every state of the union, with over 3500 chapters and more than 900,000 members.
(Along with the five Black fraternities, this group is known as The Divine Nine. Click on the photograph below to learn more.)
Smithsonian, National Museum of African American History and Culture
There are four major sororities, all of which were established in early twentieth century, including Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (Howard University, 1908), Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (Howard University, 1913), Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. (Howard University, 1920), and Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. (Butler University, 1922).
Take a look at their websites. See their goals, social activities, service programs, philanthropy, and political action.
Alpha Kappa Alpha https://aka1908.com/
Delta Sigma Theta https://www.deltasigmatheta.org
Zeta Phi Beta https://zphib1920.org/
Sigma Gamma Rho https://sgrho1922.org/
When some members of the White House press corps asked "What's the Divine Nine?" Harris shot back, "You're about to find out!"
They are leaders of political organizations. Here are just a few examples.
Learn about the organization by clicking above, and check out their video below:
In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda is a national-state partnership focused on lifting up the voices of Black women leaders at the national and regional levels in our fight to secure Reproductive Justice for all women, girls, and gender-expansive individuals.
_ _ _ _
As leaders of non-profits, they "take action to support and uplift Black voices and causes."
They honed their communication and organizational skills on Sundays.
PBS NewsHour February 12, 2021 (3:17)
and, Kamala Harris is one of these women!
At this month's national convention for her own sorority — Alpha Kappa Alpha, Inc. — Harris called out the group's political legacy, saying that "for 116 years the members of our sorority have been on the frontlines of the fight to realize the promise of America. This year let us continue that work." View her inspiring speech HERE.
Election 2020
Kamala Harris - The First Black Woman Nominated as Vice-President by a Major Party
..."sometimes you need to re-report a story to see things even more clearly than you did earlier."
... Thomas Friedman New York Times August 4, 2024
Remember the 2020 Election when Black women saved the day?
Take a look back at our December 2020 page HERE for a reminder
Can they do it again?
Election 2024
Kamala Harris Becomes the Candidate for President
Black women are taking a leadership role in this election.
MSNBC July 24, 2024 (11:31)
Julianne McShane, Mother Jones July 23, 2024
Harris' Candidacy Puts Democratic Party's "Backbone" Front and Center: Black Women
Kristal Dixon and Justin L. Mack AXIOS July 24, 2024
The Washington Post 7/22/2024
“Anybody that does not think that Black and Brown women are the backbone of this party, they don’t know us.” Star Jones, lawyer and former talk show host
PBS News July 23, 2023
“We didn’t have to get ready, because we stay ready."
... Martha Jones, history professor at Johns Hopkins University
And white women are following their lead and enthusiastically supporting a Black candidate to be the first female President of the United States.
“White Women: Answer the Call”, a Zoom call inspired by the initial gathering of Black women, was organized by Shannon Watts, a mother of five who founded Moms Demand Action, a gun violence prevention organization. Watts praises the action of Black women and acknowledges their leading role in the campaign.
“Fellow white women: we can and have to fix this, and that starts with mobilizing like Black women,” Watts wrote on Instagram ahead of the call. She linked to a Substack post she wrote, which read in part: “White women voting for Republicans, even when it appears to be against their best interests, is a complex phenomenon influenced by privilege, systemic racism and sexism, religious affiliations and, of course, the patriarchy.
Read her Substack post HERE
Jessie Tu Womens Agenda August 1, 2024
The article above includes a brief clip of Shannon Watts discussing the call and, again, acknowledging the leadership of Black women. (5:39)
“A lot of the conversation on our Zoom was centred around a course correction, something that black women don’t have to do,” Watts said. “They’ve been doing this work for decades and they’ve been on the right side of the issue.”
The most powerful gift that Black women are bringing to the Democratic Party, and hopefully to the entire country, is their contagious optimism and joy!
In this moment, facing the greatest threat to our democracy since the civil war, it is fitting that we trust a Black woman to lead us through.
“This is a message to the world,” ... “Don’t underestimate Black women in this country and the reach we have. "
... Amber Ferguson and Ben Brasch
The Washington Post 7/22/2024
Here's a postscript from the new running mate....
“How often in a hundred days do you get to change the trajectory of the world?” he asked. “And how often in the world do you make that bastard wake up afterward and know that a Black woman kicked his ass, sent him on the road?”
...Tim Walz at White Dudes for Harris 7/29/2024
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse