University of the Virgin Islands

 

Mission Statement:

The University of the Virgin Islands’ mission is to educate and empower the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Caribbean and the world through an environment that promotes creativity, innovation and excellence in teaching, student learning, research, and community engagement.

Notable Alumni: Among the many accomplished former UVI students are two Rhodes Scholars and a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist.

Mascot: The Buccaneer

Enrollment: 2,500 students

 

learn more: https://uvi.edu/

With the upcoming 2020 elections soon to come, one of the biggest issues for African Americans when it comes to voting is voter suppression. Since the first African American vote was cast by Thomas Mundy Peterson on March 31st, 1870, there have been Americans trying to stop Black Americans from voting. Voter suppression for years has been a way to keep black vote totals low, and still in 2020 the tactics continue. To make sure we keep our readers aware, we’ve listed five voter suppression tactics to watch out for before the 2020 elections.

 

1. Making polling places less accessible to people

In the 2016 election many of our voters had issues with polls access. This issues to steamed to those who had disabilities. Many voters who have disabilities may have to vote private or independent, need certain audible functions, and wheelchair accommodations. The functions weren’t accessible to them in the last election, and it’s becoming a growing concern under the Help American Vote Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Organizations such as AARP, are working together in our community to make absentee balloting, mail voting and online services easier alternatives for those with disabilities and elders. Still with their help, our justice system is still failing on holding counties accountable for their actions on the access to polling places.

 

2. Implementing voter ID requirements. 

Right now, we have 7 states that have strict photo ID laws. Those states are Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin. In addition, we have 34 states that have Id guidelines at their polls. These photo ID laws are hindering the voting process and participation. With millions of Americans without a government issued ID, that leads thousands of votes lost in each election. Many of the millions who don’t have ID are those who are in our black and brown communities.

The requirements that take place to even be issued an ID is very race and income-based related, making it harder for those who live in impoverished communities to afford an ID. As stated earlier, for those who have a disability it makes it hard for them to commute when not only voting polls, but the nearest ID offices is more than 50 miles from their residence.

 

3. Gerrymandering 

Since 1812, the term and act of Gerrymandering has been a “Slick” rule as its namesake. Each election the government “surprisingly” redistricts each state or county to benefit their political party. The constant changes to each state district affect minority voters and will continue with the new decisions from the supreme court. The supreme court has issued a new decision that the federal government could not impede partisan gerrymandering on the state level. This has many American outraged because it’s affecting the 2020 census.

 

4. Impeding voter registration

During Georgia’s Gubernatorial race Abrams vs. Kemp, many Georgians were disenfranchised and couldn’t even cast a ballot to vote because they weren’t registered. In the most recent elections this has been considered an ongoing thing with our black and brown communities. It was reported that many Latinos votes had been purged and they are being tormented at registration offices. In 2017, Alabama State Representative John Merrill impeded many voter registrations for Latinos and convicted felons because he “personally” felt they wouldn’t care too much about voting. Pay attention to your local voter registration laws. If you are not registered, find the dates and get registered as soon as possible.

 

5. Felon disenfranchisement

In many states, once you are a felon, you lose your right to vote and getting it back is very difficult. Politicians know this and most certainly use it to their advantage. With many states making progressive strides on expanding laws for former convicted felons to vote, many states still are living them in the dark on this information. Since, most prisons are filled with black and brown Americans, we are the citizens who are the most adversely affected.

 

words by: @Blogzworth

(edit) Winston-Salem State University

Founded in 1892, WSSU enjoys a distinguished reputation as a historically black constituent institution of the University of North Carolina that offers a rich curriculum rooted in high-quality, liberal education. Our undergraduate and graduate students can choose from many innovative areas of study designed to equip them with the skills and knowledge needed to develop creative solutions to today’s—and tomorrow’s—complex problems.

Mission Statement:

Winston-Salem State University is a comprehensive, historically Black university offering innovative undergraduate programs and exceptional graduate programs grounded in the tradition of liberal education. Students engage in active and experiential learning offered through flexible delivery modes. The university is dedicated to the holistic development of students by faculty dedicated to excellence in teaching, research, and service. As a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina, Winston-Salem State University contributes to the social, cultural, intellectual, and economic growth of North Carolina, the region, and beyond.

Notable Alumni: Stephen A. Smith

Mascot: Rams

Enrollment: 5,124 students

Motto: Enter To Learn. Depart To Serve.

 

learn more: https://wssu.edu/

For Black History Month, we will spotlight some of the greatest athletes in Historically Black College and University History. Today we spotlight a man who gave the world one of the most inspirational moments in Sports history.

Willis Reed attended Grambling State University, averaging 26.6 points per game and 21.3 rebounds per game during his senior year. He led the Tigers to one NAIA title and three Southwestern Athletic Conference championships.

After Graduation, Reed was drafted by the New York Knicks in the 2nd round of the 1964 NBA Draft, While he was smaller than some of the all-time greats such as Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Russell he would be matched with (Reed was 6’9), he would match them with a bruising physical style that would wear down his opponents.

The Knicks, stared to slowly turn into contenders and in 1970, found themselves in the NBA Finals. In game seven of a hotly contested series with the Los Angeles Lakers, Reed would turn in one of the greatest moments in Sports History. Reed suffered a severe thigh injury that kept him out of Game six and left him uncertain for the final game of the finals. With the series hanging in the balance, Reed walked limping onto the Madison Square Garden court and scored on his first two of the game. The Knicks would go on to defeat the Lakers 113-99, winning their first NBA championship in team history. Reed would win MVP Honors, the first HBCU athlete to win the honors..

Reed would go on to become a head coach and successful NBA Executive. His career achievements include:

2× NBA champion (1970, 1973)

2× NBA Finals MVP (1970, 1973)

NBA Most Valuable Player (1970)

7× NBA All-Star (1965–1971)

NBA All-Star Game MVP (1970)

All-NBA First Team (1970)

4× All-NBA Second Team (1967–1969, 1971)

NBA All-Defensive First Team (1970)

NBA Rookie of the Year (1965)

NBA All-Rookie Team (1965)

NBA 50th Anniversary All-Time Team

No. 19 retired by New York Knicks

RELATED: Black History Month HBCU Athlete Spotlight: Earl “The Pearl” Monroe [Video]

RELATED: Black History Month HBCU Athlete Spotlight: Doug Williams [Video]

Black history is celebrated on a regular basis, but the month of February is specifically dedicated to embracing and uplifting Black culture, as well as historical and present-day monumental figures. These revered individuals have had a hand in molding their successors, allowing for them to seamlessly follow in their footsteps as the blueprint was already provided. Some of the Black history makers who have paved the way for generations to come are Maya Angelou, James Baldwin and Madam C.J. Walker.

Maya Angelou was not only a famed poet, but she was also a fervent civil rights activist and wrote an award-winning memoir in 1969, “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings,” which was comprised of numerous poems and essays. Angelou’s acclaimed memoir was the first nonfiction bestseller by a Black woman. Angelou’s collection of poetry also includes “And Still I Rise,” which featured “Phenomenal Woman,” “I Shall Not Be Moved,” and a host of others. Maya Angelou won a number of awards, but her legacy extends far beyond her literary feats, as her impact will continue to transcend and shape generations to come.

Novelist James Baldwin fearlessly wrote about race, sexuality and humanity during a time when Black voices were being suppressed. Most famous for his novel, “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” Baldwin also penned groundbreaking essays such as “Notes of a Native Son” and “The Fire Next Time.” The Harlem-born writer took literary risks, addressing social issues, allowing for writers who came after him to be valiant when sharing their thoughts on paper for the world to see.

Entrepreneur and self-made millionaire Madam C.J. Walker changed the trajectory of Black hair care, inventing products for Black women suffering from hair loss. Though she was born a slave, Walker had a larger vision for herself. After developing a scalp disorder causing her to lose a large portion of her hair, Walker began using home remedies and store-bought hair care products in hopes of reversing or improving the condition of her hair. After perfecting her formula, she opened a factory in 1908, as well as a beauty school in Pittsburgh. Two years later, in 1910, Walker shifted her business to Indianapolis where she amassed major success, making profits equivalent to several millions of dollars.

Maya Angelou, James Baldwin and Madam C.J. Walker are three Black history makers that you should know.

SEE ALSO

The Evolution Of Teaching Black History To American Students

Understated Ways African Americans Can Make Black History

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Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University

On October 3, 1887, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, aka FAMU, was founded as the State Normal College for Colored Students and began classes with fifteen students and two instructors. Today, FAMU, as it has become affectionately known, is the premiere school among historically black colleges and universities.  Prominently located on the highest hill in Florida’s capital city of Tallahassee, Florida A&M University remains the only historically black university in the eleven member State University System of Florida. The university also has several satellite campuses including a site in Orlando where the College of Law is located and sites in Miami, Jacksonville and Tampa for its pharmacy program.

Mission Statement:

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) is an 1890 land-grant institution dedicated to the advancement of knowledge, resolution of complex issues and the empowerment of citizens and communities.  The University provides a student-centered environment consistent with its core values.  The faculty is committed to educating students at the undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and professional levels, preparing graduates to apply their knowledge, critical thinking skills and creativity in their service to society.  FAMU’s distinction as a doctoral/research institution will continue to provide mechanisms to address emerging issues through local and global partnerships.  Expanding upon the University’s land-grant status, it will enhance the lives of constituents through innovative research, engaging cooperative extension, and public service.  While the University continues its historic mission of educating African Americans, FAMU embraces persons of all races, ethnic origins and nationalities as life-long members of the university community.

Notable Alumni: Sportscaster, Pam Oliver; American tennis player and professional golfer, and the first black athlete to cross the color line of international tennis, Althea Gibson; recording artist, actor, poet and film producer, Common; Singer and Songwriter, K. Michelle; Movie Producer, Will Packer and Pro Football Hall of Famer and Olympic sprinter, Bob Hayes

Mascot: The Rattler

Enrollment: 11,000 students

 

learn more: http://famu.edu/

February 3rd marks the anniversary Congress ratified the 15th amendment granted African American men the right to vote in 1870, it wasn’t until 1920 when African American Women we able to vote in the United States.  When you add the years, African-Americans have been able to vote for longer than most have been living but this did not end suppression at the polls.

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Over the years voters have been turned away at the polls while trying to vote for various reasons.  But there are things you can do to make sure your vote counts.  Below are ways you can make sure you aren’t turned away at the polls.

• Ask the poll worker to double-check for your name and make sure they are spelling it correctly.
• Ask the poll worker to check the state-wide voter system.  This is available in some states and could help if you are trying to vote at the wrong location.
• Ask for a provisional ballot.  According to the ACLU, “All voters are entitled to a provisional ballot, even if they are not in the poll book.”  After election day, an investigation on your voter status is conducted and if you are in fact a valid voter, your vote will be counted.
• If you are denied a provisional ballot, you have the right to call the Election Protection Hotline (1-866-OUR-VOTE or 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA) and the U.S. Department of Justice Voting Rights Hotline: 800-253-3931; TTY line 877-267-8971.
• If you are having issues during regular business hours, call your county clerk, elections commissioner, elections supervisor; or your state board of elections for further assistance.

 

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(edit) Delaware State University

The Delaware College for Colored Students was established on May 15, 1891, by the Delaware General Assembly under the provisions of the Morrill Act of 1890. The school’s Board of Trustees used part of the initial $8,000 state appropriation to purchase a 95-acre property north of the state capital of Dover to establish the new college. Because there was already a private Delaware College (now the University of Delaware) located in Newark, Del., to avoid confusion new state legislation was passed and enacted in early 1893 to change the black school’s name to the State College for Colored Students. From then the College was launched upon its mission of education and public service on February 2, 1892. The College graduated its first class of degree candidates in May 1898. The normal course of study (teacher education) was extended to four years in 1911 and the Bachelor of Pedagogy degree was awarded. The College graduated its first class of bachelor-degree candidates in June 1934. In 1944, the College received provisional accreditation by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). In 1947, the name of the institution was changed to “Delaware State College” by legislative action. On July 1, 1993, Delaware State College turned another chapter in its history when Gov. Thomas Carper signed a name change into law, thus renaming the College to Delaware State University. Since 1957, the University has grown in stature as a center for teaching, research and public service. The purpose of the University has broadened in keeping with changing times. While recognizing its heritage, the University is among the top premier Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in the country, while serving a diverse student population. 

Mission Statement:

Delaware State University is a public, comprehensive, 1890 land-grant institution that offers access and opportunity to diverse populations from Delaware, the nation and the world. Building on its heritage as a historically black college, the University purposefully integrates the highest standards of excellence in teaching, research and service in its baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral programs. Its commitment to advance science, technology, liberal arts and the professions produces capable and productive leaders who contribute to the sustainability and economic development of the global community. 

Notable Alumni: Clifford “Brownie” Brown- Jazz Trumpeter, John Taylor- former NFL player, Emanual Davis– former NBA player; Jamila Mustafa- Media Correspondent

Mascot: Hornets

Enrollment: 4,872 students

learn more: https://www.desu.edu/

[anvplayer video=”4842673″]
For Black History Month, WOL News Talk 1450 AM, WYCB My Spirit 1340 and Praise 104.1 will be taking a look at golfers who came before Tiger Woods and the struggles to play the game in a segregated society. Today we talk to James “Jimmy” Garvin, Golf Course Owner & Hall of Famer.

Garvin is Jimmy Garvin Legacy Foundation. The foundation travels all across the world to prepare kids for the challenge of golf and the challenge of life. Garvin’s passion for Golf is evident and works to push the African-American Golf culture is spotlighted in this episode.

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Women are the fastest growing prison population in the United States, accounting for 7% of the population in state and federal prisons. According to the ACLU, more than one million women are either currently serving time or are under control of the criminal justice system in some way.

The rise is due in part fo the 20-year war on drugs. In the past decade, 40% of criminal convictions that put these ladies behind bars were for drug crimes, while 34% were for white-collar crimes such as fraud. Only 18% of women in the last 10 years have been sent to prison over violent offenses.

There’s a marriage between girl power and manpower in the push for criminal justice reform in our country. In honor of Black History Month, we’re shining a light on the women behind it all, past and present. Meet them below.

1. Deanna Van Buren

Architecture isn’t the first tenet to come to mind when discussing criminal justice reform. However, it’s of the upmost importance to Deanna Van Buren, the creative mind behind Designing Justice + Designing Spaces. Her goal is to end mass incarceration by building “infrastructure that addresses its root causes: poverty, racism, unequal access to resources, and the criminal justice system itself.” Van Buren and her team create housing and other community spaces meant for restorative justice which seeks to understand victims needs while holding offenders accountable in a way that prevents them from repeating their actions.

Source: Designing Justice + Designing Spaces

2. Kimberly Foxx

Cook County State’s Attorney Kimberly Foxx is the first of her kind—an African-American woman leading the charge to address the underlying causes of crime in Chicago, the third largest city in America. She caught national attention in 2018 when she released over six years of felony criminal case data on the Cook County Open Data Portal. It was the first release of its kind in the country. Still, Foxx faced her fair share of criticism when she opted to drop charges against actor Jussie Smollett in his alleged hate crime inicdent gone haywire in 2019. Now, she’s hoping to eclipse those missteps in her 2020 run for re-election.

Source: Cook County States Attorney Office

3. Michelle Alexander

Michelle Alexander is the author behind the so-called social justice Bible. Alexander’s “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness” unearthed the caste-like system that has kept people of color and poor people behind bars and denied the rights won in the Civil Rights Movement. The 2010 text even played a seminal role in Ava DuVernay’s 2016 documentary 13th. Since its release, Alexander devotes much of her time to freelance writing, public speaking and consulting with advocacy organizations committed to ending mass incarceration.

Source: New Jim Crow

4. Patrisse Cullors, Opal Tometi and Alicia Garza

A trio of self-proclaimed freedom fighters are the masterminds behind what could be considered the basecamp for the modern-day Civil Rights Movement. Alicia Garza, along with Opal Tometi and Patrisse Khan-Cullors co-founded Black Lives Matter in 2013, a globally recognized organizing project that focuses on combating anti-Black state-sanctioned violence and the oppression of all Black people. Since its inception, more than a dozen chapters have sprung up across the United States and Canada. Looking ahead, Black Lives Matter has eyes on the 2020 election, hoping to galvanizing supporters and allies to build collective power to get people to the polls.

Source: Black Lives Matter

5. Marian Wright Edelman

Back in the 1970s, Marian Wright Edelman made it her mission to eradicate the cradle to prison pipeline crisis with the creation of the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF). Nearly 40 years later, the 80-year-old continues to fight for juvenile justice reform through ending child poverty and gun violence against children. Her efforts have earned her accolades such as the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Albert Schweitzer Humanitarian Prize, a MacArthur Foundation Prize Fellowship and a Robert F. Kennedy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Source: Children’s Defense Fund

6. Angela Davis

A young revolutionary, Angela Davis began advocating for the release of black non-violent offenders in the 1960s and 1970s. Davis grew attached to George Jackson in 1970, one of the so-called Soledad Brothers. She was later acquitted of charges relating to a botched kidnapping and prison break that resulted in multiple deaths. Jackson’s brother Jonathan was among those killed. Davis still continues her activism work till this day. In 2019, it was announced that a biopic based on her life was in the works from Lionsgate.

Source: Britannica

7. Kim Kardashian

https://twitter.com/KimKardashian/status/1218748723410300929

You might hate to see it. But, despite whatever reservations you might have about Kim Kardashian, the reality star is a leading force in the modern-day Civil Rights Movement. Kim K visited the White House several times in 2019 to advocate for programs that help those leaving prison get jobs and stay on track. She also went to bat for offenders who demonstrated they were no longer a threat to society such as Momolu Stewart, Cyntoia Brown and Alice Marie Johnson. All were granted clemency and have since been released from prison. Kim K even had a hand in halting the execution of Rodney Reed. For her birthday, husband Kanye West donated $1 million in Kardashian’s name to four criminal justice reform charities, Cut 50, Buried Alive Project, Equal Justice Initiative , and Anti-Recidivism Coalition. Kim Kardashian is true to this. In a Today Show interview in November 2019, Kim explained that becoming a mother of black sons has helped motivate her to make the world better for people who look like her children.

Source: The Marshall Project

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Bowie State University

Bowie State University was founded in 1865, by the Baltimore Association for the Moral and Educational Improvement of Colored People as a teaching school. It is the oldest HBCU in Maryland and one of the ten oldest in the country. Bowie State University offers 22 undergraduate majors and 38 master’s, doctoral and advanced certification programs with a select focus on science, technology, business, education, and related disciplines. 

Mission Statement:

As Maryland’s first historically black public university, Bowie State University empowers a diverse population of students to reach their potential by providing innovative academic programs and transformational experiences as they prepare for careers, lifelong learning, and civic responsibility. Bowie State University supports Maryland’s workforce and economy by engaging in strategic partnerships, research, and public service to benefit our local, state, national, and global communities.

Notable Alumni: Toni Braxton and Wale.

Mascot: Bulldog

Enrollment: 6,171 students

learn more: https://bowiestate.edu/

For Black History Month, we will spotlight some of the greatest athletes in Historically Black College and University History. Today we honor the man known as “Air” McNair.

Steve McNair was born on Valentine’s Day in 1973. The Mississippi-Native began starred as a four-sport athlete at Mount Olive High School, playing football, baseball, basketball, and track. McNair was good enough to be drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 35th round of the 1991 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft. McNair was pursued by the University of Florida but like a lot of Black High School Quarterbacks, he was offered a scholarship to play another position. Wanting to stay at his desired position of QB, McNair decided to play football for the Braves of Alcorn State University in rural Lorman, Mississippi.

In his senior season, McNair gained 6,281 combined yards rushing (904) and passing (5,377), along with 56 touchdowns. McNair took home the Walter Payton Award as the NCAA Divison 1-AA’s best player and finished 3rd in the Heisman Trophy voting. Many believe that if McNair was at a bigger school with his senior numbers he would have taken home College Football’s most coveted award. He left Alcorn State with 16,823 career yards, an NCAA Football Championship Series (Formerly known as the NCAA Division 1-AA) record to this day.

In 1995, the Houston Oilers were searching for a new quarterback. The Oilers was once home to another Black Quarterback, Warren Moon, who with his combined yards total in the NFL and Canadian Football League, was the all-time leader in passing yards. Moon was traded to the Minnesota Vikings after the 1993 season and struggled to find his replacement until new Head Coach Jeff Fisher drafted McNair with the third pick in the 1995 NFL Draft. At the time, McNair became the highest-drafted African-American quarterback in NFL history. While he played some spot duty, Steve officially became the starter in 1996, the team’s first season in Tennessee and the state where he would become a legend.

After back to back 8-8 seasons in 1997 and 1999, the Titans set the NFL on fire, posting a 13-3 record and a Super Bowl berth versus the St. Louis Rams. In the games final seconds, McNair threw a pass to wide receiver Kevin Dyson which came up a yard short of the winning touchdown. McNair continued to improve as a passer and in 2003, McNair made history becoming the first Black quarterback to win the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award, sharing honors with Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning. McNair finished the 2003 season as the league leader in passer rating and became the youngest player in NFL history to pass for 20,000 yards and run for 3,000 yards.

McNair finished the last two seasons of his career with the Baltimore Ravens. His career achievements include:

• 3× Pro Bowl (2000, 2003, 2005)
• Second-team All-Pro (2003)
• NFL Most Valuable Player (2003)
• NFL passer rating leader (2003)
• Heisman Trophy finalist (1994)
• Walter Payton Award (1994)
• Titans/Oilers Ring of Honor
• Tennessee Titans No. 9 retired

The world unfortunately lost McNair in July of 2009, but his legacy on the field and for future HBCU athletes lives on.

RELATED: Black History Month HBCU Athlete Spotlight: Earl “The Pearl” Monroe [Video]

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Presidential elections are usually the period where voter turnout is massive, where Black issues become major talking points during debates, the thought that the “Black Vote” can swing any election grows from a whisper to a massive call for attention and then some. 

When it comes to running for President, however, it’s less a novel concept and more of a tangible idea. In fact, there were two notable candidates in senators Kamala Harris and Cory Booker, both of different backgrounds from different coasts, both running to secure the Democratic nomination for President in 2020.

The history of black men and women running for President stretches longer than you think. Aside from Barack Obama serving two terms as the nation’s 44th president, history will tell you about how Shirley Chisholm made history by becoming the first African-American woman to secure votes at the Democratic National Convention in 1972. Or that Jesse Jackson earned the highest number of votes for a black candidate in 1988 with 1,200 votes at the Democratic National Convention that year.

But blacks running for that particular seat date all the way back to the 1800s, and one Frederick Douglass.

Fredrick Douglass

Number of Times Run: 2 (1848, 1888 – also ran as Vice President in 1872)

Result: 1 vote at convention

Douglass, who became the first Black man or woman to run for President in 1848, initially ran as part of the Liberty Party, followed by the Republican Party. In 1872, he was nominated as the Vice Presidential nominee for the Equal Rights Party. He only received one vote at the convention.

The noted abolitionist still found his way to the White House, namely as an advisor. Douglass advised Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War, not long after he initially criticized the 16th President. Once Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, Douglass’ opinion of him changed as over time and more Blacks began fighting for the Union, Douglass demanded that those soldiers receive equal pay. 

It would be decades after Douglass before another serious nominee garnered the attention of voters, albeit not from a political party many would agree with at the time.

James W. Ford

Number of Times Run: 3 (Vice Presidential Nominee of the Communist Party 1932 – 1940)

Result: 102,991 votes in 1932, 80,195 in 1936, no electoral votes.

The first black man to be on a presidential ticket in the 20th century, Ford’s goal in the Communist Party was to secure four things for black men and women in America: help with evictions, jobs, services, and civil rights – a precursor to the demand for civil liberties and beyond that would become launching points of Black candidates in the 1960s and beyond.

Ford, the VP nominee to William Z. Foster, helped secure over 100,000 votes in the general election of 1932, the most (up to that point) any Black candidate had ever received in an election for President or Vice President. 

12 years after Ford’s last attempt at becoming vice president, civil rights activist Charlotta Bass took it one step further. 

Charlotta Bass

Number of Times Run: 1 (1952, Vice Presidential Candidate, Progressive Party)

Result: 140,023 popular votes, no electoral votes

Bass made history in the 1950s, becoming the first black woman ever nominated by a political party for Vice President. Running on the Progressive ticket, she and running mate Vincent Hallinan secured 140,000 votes in the 1952 election won by Dwight D. Eisenhower. Her major campaign issues? Women’s rights, social issues, an end to the Korean War and peace with the then Soviet Union.

The radical tones of the 1960s with the likes of Black Panther Party members Eldridge Cleaver and Angela Davis both running for President, albeit on different tickets throughout the decade but one actually made it to a major convention and secured votes.

Channing E. Phillips

Number Of Times Run: 1 (1968)

Result: 67 votes at the Democratic National Convention

In an election cycle where both the Democrats and Republicans were looking to see who would replace Lyndon B. Johnson, Phillips, a New York preacher and activist ran a campaign that showed that in his words, “The Negro vote must not be taken for granted.” By securing votes as the handpicked choice of D.C. following the death of Robert F. Kennedy earlier that summer, Phillips became the first Black man to secure votes as a nominee for a major political party, 80 years after Douglass ran as a Republican.

As time progressed, following Phillips, more and more black names and voices began to rise in politics, in waves not seen since the days of Reconstruction in the 1860s and 1870s. By 1968, the same year Phillips secured votes at the DNC, another potential contender for President arrived making her own kind of history.

Shirley Chisholm

Number Of Times Run: 1 (1972)

Result: 152 votes at the Democratic National Convention

Chisholm had made history in 1968 when she became the first black woman ever elected to Congress. Four years later, after already making her name on the floor of the House of Representatives, Chisholm ran for the highest office in the land, saying that none of the other potential candidates were truly concerned for the “welfare of black people and the inner-city poor”. Despite being blocked from even participating in debates and dealing with racism and sexism throughout her campaign, Chisholm realized that showing people it could merely be done was a victory in itself. She died in 2005, three years before Barack Obama took the mantle and won the Presidency.

Chisholm’s race was a small victory for her in many ways. She had become the first black candidate, male or female to secure more than 100 delegates at a convention for a major political party. Others would follow in Chisholm’s footsteps in attempts to run for President such as Barbara Jordan in 1976 but were unsuccessful. Twelve years after Chisholm’s run, a man who walked with Dr. King would try his hand at the nomination for the Democratic party. After one failed attempt at running, 1988 seemed poised to be his time and a historic moment for African-Americans running for office.

Jesse Jackson

Number of Times Run: 2 (1984, 1988)

Result: 466 votes at the 1984 Democratic national convention, 1,218 votes at the 1988 Democratic national convention

Riding the famed “Rainbow Coalition” of 1988, Jackson had understood what it took to be seen as a viable candidate after falling short in the 1984 Democratic primaries. With arguably the most extensive campaign platform from a black candidate yet, Jackson found himself right on the heels of Democratic front runner Michael Dukakis, and with a win in the Michigan primaries in early 1988, had been seen as the favorite to win the nomination. 

Jackson’s plan for America included reparations for descendants of black slaves, an end to mandatory minimum sentences regarding the “War on Drugs”, reverse Reganaomic tax cuts and instead invest in social welfare programs, stricter enforcement of the 1965 Voting Rights Act and more. He won seven primaries and garnered nearly 7 million votes during his campaign and secured over 1,200 delegates during the ‘88 convention. Ultimately, Dukakis wound up winning the party’s nomination and America’s wait for the first black man or woman to win a major political party’s nomination for President would have to wait 20 years.

Barack Obama

Number of Times Ran: 2 (2008, 2012)

Result: Elected 44th President in 2008, Re-elected in 2012

Call it the perfect storm. One of the 21st centuries first great political flurries in regards to grassroots campaigning. Few foresaw Barack Obama becoming a star within the Democratic Party but after his speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, it was hard to ignore him after that. With a campaign slogan simply based around “Hope & Change,” Obama gained momentum with an improbable victory in the Iowa caucus, in 2008, setting the stage for his acceptance of the nomination later that summer and subsequently, his massive electoral college victory in 2008. Four years later, he repeated the feat and to date, stands as arguably one of America’s most beloved Presidents and the most admired man in the world, for more than a decade. 

It remains to be seen if Obama’s improbable victory in 2008 and re-election in 2012 will be an outlier or a symbol that other black candidates can also be viable. Smaller parties such as the Reform and Green Party have nominated both male and female black candidates to be Vice President. Both secured nearly half a million and 1.5 million votes respectively in the general election, but not enough to win the overall election. Time will tell if another candidate can galvanize the public and either political party to secure the nomination, much less the Presidency. But the gradual evolution of candidates, all fighting for the same principles, cannot be ignored.