Fresh off a year that saw a number of notable firsts for African-Americans, 2019 has already been capitalizing on that momentum and seems set to be a legitimate challenger for one of the most significant set of 12 months in the annals of Black history, especially politically.
As this year’s Black History Month gets underway, you could be forgiven for thinking that statement is hyperbole; what with the rich legacy that Black people have established on earth for centuries. But given the current context in which Black and brown folks across the globe and especially in the United States have been living, it’s a safe bet that there is no safe bet for what to expect. It would seem that in this unprecedented time of existence for Black folks, all we have are indicators to go by. And if recent history was any indication of what’s to come, Black people better be prepared for continued rising prominence in a society that has routinely made the mistake of misjudging us.
Those under estimations have already manifested themselves in a record number of Black people being sworn into the elected offices they won during last year’s contentious midterm elections. The most diverse class of lawmakers—several of them African-American women who made history as the first to represent their state in the House—have made their collective and individual presence felt on Capitol Hill and beyond during this young year.
And while that was in the recent past, it has lasting political implications heading into the future, starting Tuesday when Stacey Abrams was set to deliver the Democrats’ response to Trump’s State of the Union address. Abrams, as you might recall, was the very strong Georgia gubernatorial candidate who was disenfranchised by a corrupt opponent’s voter suppression efforts against his opponent’s supporters. Well, her political performance wasn’t missed by top Democrats, who, aside from tapping her to be the first Black woman to offer a major political party’s State of the Union rebuttal, appeared to be grooming her to launch a Senate run this year. If Abrams does run, she would be the first Black woman from Georgia ever elected to the Senate.
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Follow @‘magicbaltimore’2019 Is Shaping Up To Be An Amazing Year In Black History was originally published on newsone.com
