When we reflect upon the American story, it’s clear that Black women are the stone that the builder refused. The nation’s founding fathers did not believe women should have the right to vote, and many considered Black people property rather than citizens. They never envisioned that a Black and Asian woman like Kamala Harris could one day become President of the United States. However, we must not limit our society to their originalist vision. Together, we can embrace a more inclusive nation, one where someone’s identity no longer stands as a barrier to opportunity. There are many who believe that a Black woman could never become president. Indeed, the same was said of Barack Obama. We may not know how this story will end, but if there’s one thing we know for sure about Kamala Harris’ campaign, it’s that victory will be an uphill battle.
Now that Joe Biden, the 46th President, announced he would no longer seek re-election, the constant drumbeat of will-he-won’t-he reporting can finally come to an end. The question is no longer whether he will stay in the race and challenge Trump in November but in the process that follows. After Biden formally endorsed Kamala Harris, his Vice President, as his successor, many Democrats coalesced behind her. Some, like former President Obama, suggested the party should adopt an open nominating process, while the Clintons openly endorsed Kamala Harris. Even progressive Democrats in the House, such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley, and others, have supported her nomination—this certainly feels like a unifying moment. Naturally, it will take time for the Democratic Party to formally make and announce their decision. But as it stands, Harris, who secured the delegates needed for the nomination, is Joe Biden’s presumed successor.
Since Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Democratic party has never won the majority of white voters in any presidential election. Consequently, Black people have often been referred to as the base, the group most likely to support the party’s efforts. It’s why Joe Biden suggested making South Carolina the first state to host the presidential primary. In a letter, he noted that while his administration and the “Democratic Party has worked hard to reflect the diversity of America, our nominating process does not.” Selecting South Carolina as the first state to host a presidential primary gives Black voters in the South an early opportunity to impact who becomes the nominee. Now, we’re seeing Black voters have a major impact in shaping national political narratives. Skipping over Harris for a White candidate would come with dire consequences for the base of the Democratic Party as it stands.
On Sunday night (July 21), Win With Black Women hosted an impromptu Zoom call with an estimated 90,000 Black women and their supporters tuning in (Ed Note: Although the Zoom call maxed out at 40,000, organizers said the meeting was streamed to another 50,000 on other platforms). Black women from around the country tuned in to discuss this historical moment, share their support for Kamala Harris’ candidacy, and start the process of organizing and working together. For instance, Representatives Maxine Waters and Jasmine Crockett were among the speakers. But, there were many other noteworthy Black women in the audience, such as Bernice King and the oh-so-charismatic Jenifer Lewis. Organizational leaders representing groups such as Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Black Voters Matter, The National Council of Negro Women, and so many more were in attendance. Women from all 50 states were accounted for. In approximately three hours, they raised over a million dollars. After getting off the call, there was one thing we knew for certain—that it was possible for Kamala Harris to become president, but the success of her campaign would require an uphill climb.
[Ed Note: Of note, a Zoom call was organized by Roland Martin on Monday (July 22) to gather men under the moniker "Black Men for Harris". They raised $1.3 million for Harris' campaign.]
Black women are routinely ridiculed and demeaned in the workplace, and the political field certainly cannot be expected to offer any safe haven. If Kamala Harris is to win, she must first be protected from political violence and bad-faith attacks rooted in misogynoir, a toxic blend of sexism and racism. Indeed, it is expected that many white Americans will oppose Kamala Harris’ nomination simply because of her identity. Her campaign will likely provoke Jim Crow-era expressions of racism that may impact her campaign but also Black Americans more broadly. But, their prejudice should not be a reason to relinquish progress. “Can a woman become President? And a Black woman at that?” many are asking themselves. But, if they’re not careful, their hesitation will become a self-fulfilling prophecy that overrides hope. And they’ll be no better than the founding fathers, who were too short-sighted and self-serving to foster an inclusive society.
There are many interesting parallels between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump to consider. One expressed online is that a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) could be pitted against someone endorsed by David Duke, the former Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK). These organizations couldn’t be more different, just like the candidates running for office. Another is that a former prosecutor, Kamala Harris, will challenge a convicted felon, Donald Trump, for the office of the presidency. In less than twenty-four hours, the entire narrative surrounding the campaign has shifted from two older White men engaged in a rematch to a much more dynamic race with different moving parts. What once was a political environment as dry and predictable as saltine crackers is now a rich, moist cake with crumbs of political discourse for the public to gnaw on.
We don’t know for sure when or where the Democratic Party will announce that Kamala Harris will be their presidential nominee or who her running mate will be, though there is some speculation that the inclusion of a White man would help balance the ticket. We don’t know who would be in her cabinet or even how her governing style may differ from Biden's on some issues. Or if the Secret Service is up to the task of keeping her safe. What we know for sure is that the path will not be paved with gold but with racist, sexist, and bad-faith criticism. Indeed, many Black women are bracing for what they expect to be a difficult political season that questions not just Kamala Harris’ qualifications but also their worth and value in the professional world. Conservatives, such as Charles Gasparino, in the New York Post, suggested Kamala Harris could be “the country’s first DEI president.” It’s clear that her campaign will be used as fuel for their culture war, which ultimately claims the concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion are unfair. Of course, this perspective ignores the role that racism plays in depriving racial minorities of opportunities and makes the foolish leap of logic that an elected official can benefit from such policies.
No one ever said that the effort to elect a Black woman as president of the United States would be easy. Indeed, nothing about the American experience has been leisurely for Black women. From cradle to the grave and from this nation’s founding to the present, they’ve endured hardships and injustices without recourse. Given all of the legislative priorities on the line, from voting rights, women’s rights, environmental protections, and criminal justice reform, to name a few, one could argue this fight is well worth the investment.
And to those who claim a Black woman could never break that glass ceiling, remember that the same was said about Shirley Chisholm, the first African American woman to win a seat in the House of Representatives, and Moseley Braun, the first to serve in the Senate. They, too, were told that they couldn’t possibly win, reminded that the odds were against them. But in the end, history shows that Black women are capable of accomplishing anything they set their minds to. This is especially true when they have the support of their communities and the ear of a nation willing to listen.
This post originally appeared on Medium and is edited and republished with author's permission. Read more of Allison Gaines' work on Medium.
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