The Power of the Black Vote

How important is the Black vote? It's so important that it has been instrumental in deciding some of the closest elections in recent history. Without the Black vote there may not have been a John F. Kennedy, Bill Clinton or Barack Obama. When presented a viable candidate, we support who we feel has an agenda that includes us. Black people show up and show out at the polls.

What most African Americans don't know is that Black men have had the right to vote since the 70s…. not the 1970s, but the 1870s. In fact, the first Civil Rights bill was passed in 1866.

Wow! That was 100 years before Dr. King would be assassinated for fighting for the rights we had already been awarded. In 1870, the Fifteenth Amendment was passed granting all American citizens the right to vote - regardless of color or condition of servitude. To make sure Blacks wouldn't vote, they were threatened, beaten and killed for even daring to vote.

If the Black vote wasn't important, why impede and hinder it?

Why are we still fighting the same fight a century and a half later? It's simple in America. The more time passes, the more things stay the same. Truthfully, if you allow someone to use their voice, they become confident in speaking up and speaking out. They start to demand change instead of waiting on it. So, it's simple to keep people oppressed; you crush their will, their beliefs and their connectivity to the world.

The great Dr. King once said, “A threat to justice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

Now is the time for us to stand up and demand results. We must QUIT letting politicians placate us with empty promises and lies. It's time to hold them accountable by fixing the infrastructure in our neighborhoods. We need better school systems, housing and job markets. It's time we are seen as viable citizens and not just a vote to beat Trump (or whomever else is in every election after).

We need to exercise our vote on every level in local city, county and state elections. In order to make a change, we must start from the base of the problem.

We must tear down and rebuild.

Contrary to popular belief, Black people don't want handouts; we want opportunity. We don't want temporary fixes, we want change. So, I support Ice Cube and his idea and effort with the Contract for Black America. We don't need everyone shouting out a thousand different ideas that only benefit a handful of people. We need unified ideas that benefit us all.

In the words of Fab, “Pick a side and stay on it; you can't play both sides."

Now is the time to seize the moment, show our power and be unified in doing so. The one thing more powerful than the black vote is the black dollar, and GREEN is the only color this country has no problem with.

As this election approaches, let’s vote diligently. Let’s be informed, and let’s be reminded that we are Americans as well. Our votes count too. Just remember...

Even when you can't see change, you have to speak it into existence. There's power in the tongue.

Love, peace and blessings.