Black Political Power Matters!
In state and local elections across the country, Black politicians are making historic strides.
While many only focus on getting to the polls during national elections, if history has taught us anything, it’s that change happens quickest and most often on the state and local levels of government. Last night, Americans everywhere showed up and used their voting power to show that they’re ready for a new world, one that’s more inclusive, diverse, and representative of the true values of Americans. While there is still a long way to go, history is being made, and many Black people are taking their rightful place at the political table.
Here is a list of all the recent Black winners of state and local elections, courtesy of The Collective Pac & NPR.
Alvin Bragg, historically elected as the first Black district attorney of Manhattan.
Photo Courtesy of Mike Segar/REUTERS
Briana Sewell, elected to Virginia’s House of Delegates to represent the 51st District.
Photo Courtesy of Briana Sewell For Delegate
Dawn Rattan, elected to the Johnson County Community College Board of Trustees.
Photo Courtesy of Rattan For Trustee
Ed Gainey, historically elected as the first Black mayor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Photo Courtesy of Steve Mellon/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Eric Adams, elected as the second Black mayor of New York City.
Photo Courtesy of the Eric Adams campaign
Greg Yorgey-Girdy, historically elected as the first openly gay Black judge to sit on the Philadelphia Municipal Court.
Photo Courtesy of Greg For Philly
Justin Bibb, elected as the next Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio.
Photo Courtesy of Justin Bibb
Kendra Hicks, historically elected as the first Black woman to represent Boston’s 6th District in the City Council.
Photo Courtesy of Hicks For District Six
Quentin Hat, elected as the next Mayor of Waterloo, Iowa.
Photo Courtesy of Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier
Sharetta Smith, historically elected as the first Black mayor of Lima, Ohio.
Photo Courtesy of Sharetta Smith For Mayor
Shontel Brown, elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for Ohio’s 11th District.
Photo Courtesy of Shontel Brown For Congress
Stephanie Morales, elected as the Commonwealth Attorney for Portsmouth, Virginia.
Photo Courtesy of Morales For Commonwealth’s Attorney
Tyrone Garner, historically elected as the first Black Mayor of Kansas City, Kansas and Wyandotte County.
Photo Courtesy of The Kansas City Star
Winsome Sears, historically elected as the first Black woman lieutenant governor of Virginia.
Photo Courtesy of Yahoo! News
Tameika Issac Devine is currently in a runoff election to become the next mayor of Columbia, South Carolina. Election day is November 16th.
Photo Courtesy of Tameika Issac Devine/Twitter
Congratulations to all of the newly elected officials and those still fighting! Because of you, we can!
Photos Courtesy of Steve Mellon/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/ Sharetta Smith For Mayor/ Eric Adams campaign