Black Girl Magic

So, lately it has not been the best week in the black community. Just as Obama is leaving office, we all found out on Tuesday, November 8, 2016 our new president, our new leader, and the new successor of this country will be Donald Trump. A man with absolutely no political experience! To make matters worse, there have been several reports on Trump supporters harassing minorities even more since he was elected into office.
Although it seems like things are going downhill in America, that still does not stop blacks from excelling within society.
On Tuesday, the same day as the presidential election, nine black women were elected as judges in Jefferson County, Alabama.
Can you say Black Girl Magic? Javan Patton, Debra Bennett Winston, Shera Craig Grant, Nakita “Niki” Perryman Blocton, Tamara Harris Johnson, Elisabeth French, Agnes Chappell, Brendette Brown Green and Annetta Verin, are the names of the lovely black women that were selected to serve in the district and circuit courts.
Hearing that there are nine black judges in Alabama is huge, considering the fact that Alabama is known as one of the most racists states in the US and houses four Ku Klux Klan chapters with the #BlackLivesMatters vs #AllLivesMatters movements, Obama leaving the presidential office and Trump winning the presidential election, it’s very refreshing to know that black women are still breaking down the barriers.
If that wasn’t enough, overall there were 15 people of color elected to office in Jefferson County.
Emory Anthony, the former president of the Jefferson County Progressive Democratic Council told The Birmingham Times, “I just think it’s great. Jefferson County is a majority Democratic county. They turn out to vote, they’re capable of electing qualified individuals.
After the majority of America decided that they would rather see a man that has no political background become president rather than a female with a plethora of political experience, I lost all hope, but hearing this news has completely restored my faith in humanity.
Tamara Harris Johnson, one of the nine selected individuals told the Birmingham times “I’m sure that if you probably looked at the statistics either in law school or the national statistics there probably are more black females that are in law school and even in medicine. I think females are coming into their own. Black females, in my mind, have always been strong and I’m saying that from a different perspective. I grew up around strong women and I didn’t know anything except strong women.”
Johnson grew up in the Birmingham area during the period of segregation and expressed her disappointment in the lack of change in racial attitudes over the course of 50 years.
While I definitely think that there are still a lot racial issues and segregation is still a problem that exists in some sort. I also think it’s safe to say black people are still breaking down the obstacles that were set to stop black people from excelling.
There was once a time where black people were not allowed to vote and when they tried to exercise their rights, they were being terrorized for it by the KKK. Fifty years later, not just one but, nine black females were elected into judicial seats. This is a reminder that even in times of hopelessness, Blacks will still continue to prosper.