All In on Black Voters

Protecting Black communities from Project 2025 and other harmful policies will take all of us this election season. From civil rights advocates and labor unions to family matriarchs, we can ensure the equitable future we all deserve. Harmful policy proposals have always existed, but voting and amplifying Black voices are the solution.

During the Democratic National Convention, the NAACP hosted All In: The Black Voter Democracy Forum, a discussion with civil rights and social justice leaders to brainstorm how we fight Project 2025 and other threats across the country, from our front porches and state houses all the way to Capitol Hill.

Rep. Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), set the stage with details about Project 2025, what she described as a "radical, racist, revenge, love letter."

"They are glorifying Jim Crow and they're trying to bring it back stronger than ever." 

- Rep. Jasmine Crockett (TX-30)

Watch the replay

Part testimony, part information sharing, panelists Shavon Arline-Bradley (National Council of Negro Women), Lee Saunders (UNION), Kelley Robinson (HRC), and Alexis McGill Johnson (Planned Parenthood) highlighted the importance and needs of Black voters.

"They are afraid of our power," said Robinson, president of the Human Rights Council. "The response to fear cannot be more hate, it has to be hope."

"Politics and power is what got us into this. Politics and power is what it will take to get us out." 

- Kelley Robinson (HRC)

Insights on Engaging Black Voters

We're all charged with getting Black voters what they need to cast their ballots in November. Phaedra Jackson, who leads NAACP's research on effective messaging to Black voters, shared a few things to keep in mind as you have these important conversations:

Black Americans crave unity within their community. The foundation for this is already firmly in place: participants feel a high degree of shared fate with one another (this sense is particularly acute when it comes to policing). They recall the victories of the civil rights movement with pride and are hungry for a new generation of leaders to bring people together to overcome the challenges of the today.

Unity is the path to equality and justice for Black Americans. Participants clearly articulate how stereotypes and prejudice deny them full access to the rights and resources of the nation. The ballot is one way to meet the cultural and structural challenges the community faces, but it can only be effective if powered by a legion of Black voters. Participants are also interested in leveraging unity to further community independence, arguing that the dominant system is grounded in racism and was never meant to help them thrive. As such, there is extreme value in developing Black businesses and other mechanisms to promote community self-sufficiency.

Black Americans vote in order to protect and advance the community. The ballot can be a powerful tool to help the community move closer to its ideals (e.g., electing a Black president in Barack Obama, who is almost universally revered). As part of their ideals, they vote to respect the sacrifices that their ancestors made in order to secure the right to vote and, in turn, they consider how their votes will create the conditions to help future generations flourish.

There is deep disillusionment with politicians and the political process. Participants point to ways that voting has been ineffective in advancing community interests. They are tired of being taken for granted and seeing elected officials fail to follow through on campaign promises. Moreover, they are extremely dissatisfied with the quality of the candidates they are faced with and are looking for leaders who have integrity and compassion.

Taken together, there are four message frames that are particularly promising for getting Black Americans out to vote. There is a personal responsibility to vote in order to honor the work of their ancestors. Participants point to these civil rights victories as instances where when we fight, we win. There are critical things to fight for; Black Americans recognize that their rights are under attack and that the community must unite and must take measures to stop it. The struggle must be won, not just for the betterment of today, but so that future generations can thrive. Government officials should be part of the solution, and if they are not, the ballot is a way to hold elected leaders accountable for their failings.