The political power structure of America was set up by the White European immigrants almost immediately upon arriving on these shores in the early 1600s. Europeans instantly established themselves as the dominant political force in this new colony. Europeans at once began carving out the policies that would govern the new territory and a large part of those policies were targeted at determining the role Blacks would play in the new colony. This naturally excluded Blacks from the political process. Blacks were almost 100% marginalized and unrepresented in the political process from 1619 until the Civil Rights Movement.
Racism in Politics – voter supression[/caption]
There was a small period of Black political progress during Reconstruction. The 14th (1868) and 15th (1869) Amendments were passed, the 15th Amendment gave Blacks the right to vote. This allowed blacks to become involved in the political arena from approximately 1865 – 1877. The progress of Blacks under Reconstruction was met simultaneously with creation of the KKK, Black Codes and Jim Crow . These three factors quickly reversed blacks political gains. Prior to Jim Crow become fully indoctrinated in society which made voting illegal on a state level, the KKK intimidated blacks from voting as well as removed black government officials and government officials who supported black progress through coups.
Jim Crow was the primary means of ensuring black voter suppression from 1877 unit 1865. Here are a few of the state and federally supported polices that were used to exclude Blacks from the political machine. (For more details on this process list click on this link)
- Poll taxes during Jim Crow created a financial barrier to vote in North and South.
- Literacy tests during Jim Crow created an education barrier to vote in the North and South.
- Caging lists unlawfully challenging the registration status of voters.
- KKK/White Supremacy Coups
- Felon Disenfranchisement, denying convicted felons the right to vote, yet criminalizing ordinary black life which make them into felons.
These tactics and many more created a hostile political environment for black people until the Civil Rights Movement when multiple laws were passed to give some semblance of rights to blacks. From 1619 until 1965 Blacks had approximately 12 years of limited political involvement out of 320+ years in this country and even that period was erased shortly after it started.
Politics of Racism was nationwide[/caption]
Even with our gained voter rights in 1965 we still struggle today to maintain our ability to vote. We also have yet to develop any politicians, Black or White, who have been unapologetically committed to the Black agenda and willing to speak authoritatively about the issues that affect Black people. The racism in politics is extremely nuanced yet very real, the exclusion of blacks from politics was systematic and based on race. The impact has been crippling and continues to be felt by Black people today.
The issues Blacks face today in police brutality, injustices in the legal system and lack of economic development in black communities to name a few, all can be related to Blacks exclusion from the political system. No national politicians are interested in the black agenda. You can see with the current cast of presidential candidates the black agenda is completely ignored. Not one of the candidates even mentions any resemblance of a black agenda unless they are forced to, as Bernie Sanders was by the two #BlackLivesMatter protesters in Seattle. Sanders quickly crafted an incomplete agenda loosely geared towards black people.
The means to change the litany of issues in the Black community is partially through politics. On a nationally level the system is still much to racist for blacks to participate and create the change that will impact the lives of everyday black people. President Obama exemplifies this quite clearly. Local politics in majority black population cities is where change can and will occur and that is where we as Black people need to focus in order to create the changes that we need.
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