What do you think the black community's reaction will be to a vanishing number in Congress who look like them?

[bigtree]

...like me?

When I was a young adult, there were just a few black legislators in Congress, including Ron Dellums, who died a while back at age 82. I still recall the mere handful of blacks I found in Congress when I first explored the Capitol. That didn't change quickly or a great deal over my subsequent years visiting there.

It wasn't until 1990 that we actually saw a significant influx of minorities elected to Congress, enabled by the 1990 census Democrats fought to reform and manage (along with their earlier fight for an extension of the Voting Rights Act which Bush I vetoed five times before trading his signature on the bill for votes for Clarence Thomas) which allowed court-ordered redistricting to double the number of districts with black majorities.

At any rate, I distinctly remember seeing the Rep. Ron Dellums and his nice afro, ever present on the nearly empty House floor, bouncing around here and there with a sheaf of papers in his hand. I had imagined at the time that there were many more like him in the wings, however, there were only a dozen or so black congressmen and women from the 70's to the 90's, including Rep. Dellums.

It's remarkable just how confident, capable, and determined many black folks like Ron Dellums were in that still dark, but emerging period in our history as they kept their heads well above the water; making leaps and bounds in their personal and professional lives, then, turning right around and giving it all back to their communities in the gift of their expertise and labor.

A third of the Congressional Black Caucus could lose seats amid redistricting fight
https://abcnews.com/Politics/congressional-black-caucus-lose-seats-amid-redistricting-fight/story?id=132965013

[yellowdogintexas]

1. Hopefully, swinging a Democratic Majority - a big one.

If we don't regain that majority it is just going to get worse.

[bigtree]

2. ...it's already pretty bad for the black community

...I personally resent the fact that we're about to lose the token representation we had, and that we're now entering into a period where black Americans', black communities' political influence is just disappearing altogether.

Generations slip through the cracks as politicians and parties position themselves.

Bill Clinton used to say that 'we go up or down together.'

I think that was just wishful thinking.

I fear that I will permanently lose voting rights because of this equation. I'm convinced that we're already being abandoned by Americans who can't or won't take the extra step to ensure Bill Clinton's ideal.

[yellowdogintexas]

4. no argument there. We are all going to slip through the cracks, one way or another nt

[marble falls]

3. They had better get out the vote.

[bigtree]

8. that's a hell of an appeal for people the country has reneged it's promises to

...the vast majority of these folks are Democrats, and are out in the street and in the courts right now fighting for their rights which translate into critical support for a Democratic majority in November and beyond.

I'd guess they'll show up in huge percentages of their communities to support Democrats, like we always do, so not sure the panacea is for them to just keep doing what they've been doing for decades and decades.

This is about everyone's rights. If republicans and the maga justices are successful, it risks the future of the Democratic party, of which black voters have accounted about 80% of the electorate voting for Democrats. Either defend these rights or forfeit these voters to obscurity.

With less black majority districts, less consolidation of black political power and influence, I'd guess the black vote will be very much harder for the party to organize into the political force that delivered seats in the South, for instance.

It's clear the black community would be harming many of their own interests by turning away from the party, but what becomes of their concerns if the only interest becomes the elevation of a white Democratic majority that doesn't prioritize their needs and concerns? It's a piss poor vehicle to sign onto hoping to have those interests represented if all we are regarded as a backstop to what others insist should be the party priority?

I had one poster argue to the point of denigrating me because they insisted Israel should be the Democrats main focus in the upcoming race with assurances to people in Gaza that we, of course, have their interests at heart.

Watch. People will make it clear that they believe black people need to subjugate themselves to political interests that don't promise to ever get around to restoring the weak attempt at parity that's just been abandoned.

Let's not assume this is a zero sum effort for black voters; or that they'll automatically assume that elevating Democrats elevates them.

That assumes they're not already at the top of their own pique about the value of politicians in general who appear to be abandoning them like we're some fringe interest, instead of the heart of the party and nation.

The Democratic party appeal to black voters is more important than ever, I'm certain our leaders in office right now recognize this challenge, but I'm less certain that Democratic party supporters who don't share the heightened vulnerabilities of the black community at the behest of Jim Crow legislators and judges will rise to the occasion (active and consciencious DUers, the exception, of course).

We need all hands on this one. The opposition wouldn't be leaning so heavily into this just to push black folks around, although that's their bestest thing ever they like to do, if it wasn't so critical to their own political success. They're repressing blacks and other dark-skinned people to soften the ground for repressing everyone who isn't part of their cabal, not just black Americans.

[Aepps22]

11. Laughable and Tone Deaf

Black voters are the main ones holding the line and are the most loyal constituents in this party. They vote in huge percentages and that didn’t stop anything. Perhaps it is time for many in the coalition to stop being keyboard warriors and actually start convincing their own relatives (usually White) to step up and vote.

Comments like yours don’t sit well

[PufPuf23]

5. Ron Dellums was the best representative I ever had the honor to vote for and

Last edited Sun May 17, 2026, 12:45 PM - Edit history (1)

has great influence on my life as a Democrat and commitment to social and environmental justice.

In 1971 I registered to vote in Contra Costa with intent of a non-religious CO. Had a very high draft lottery number. Went to many anti-war rallies in Berkeley and San Francisco beginning in 1968.

Spent about 40% of time between 1973 and 1987 living in Berkeley and Oakland while earning 2 Cal degrees and working in a Fed research lab. Have not been to the Bay Area since 2003.

Ron Dellums had always been my standard; alas never again realized even close.

Blacks have never been treated fairly after the evilness that brought many to the USA. What does one expect from a dominant culture that did not consider blacks fully human? Even when there has been progress like the repeal of slavery and the vote, there has been pull back from the gains. Shameful.

[msongs]

6. the white majority better get out, vote, and take over repub legislatures and create new districts that reflect the popu

[bigtree]

9. seems fraught right now

...for some reason.

[EdmondDantes_]

12. But what defines looks like the population?

There's competing interests in what that means. Does it describe the racial demographics? Mississippi has a black population of roughly 38%. So should the state be divided to have 1.5 majority minority districts, or should it be divided so each district has roughly 38% percent of the population be black? And to what extent does putting that 38% into 1 district result in worse representation? Historically in order to be likely to elect a Democrat a southern district had to be at least close to 50% black. But that leaves all the other districts mostly white/Republican. But if today it's say 35-40% black that's required to elect a Democrat maybe less likely to elect a black Democrat, but instead of an automatic x/1 split, it's a x/2 or x/3 split where more Democrats overall get elected, that's a consideration.

Should it be the partisan political demographics so if the state is split 65/35 like Tennessee or Massachusetts should the districts reflect that split. Because neither state does.

Should the districts be divided by rural/urban areas to keep the districts alike in that regard.

What about creating competitive districts that would likely reduce the impact of the extreme edge of the Republican party and have an outsized positive impact on minorities even if less likely to give them representation that looks like them?

I'm not saying that representation that looks like someone isn't important, only that it's a calculation that is harder than it appears to just say make it resemble the racial demographics. Because you can divide things in different ways that result in different splits.

[bigtree]

14. this seems antithetical to the interests of black Americans

"What about creating competitive districts that would likely reduce the impact of the extreme edge of the Republican party and have an outsized positive impact on minorities even if less likely to give them representation that looks like them?"

An 'outsized positive impact' would seem like a hollow ideal for black Americans after the party just engineered a way around ensuring black representation in Congress.

That representation shouldn't be regarded as just a means to make up the white vote that goes to republicans. It should be a moral imperative to restore the means for that black presence at the table when their concerns are up for debate and money is being allocated.

It's not just some beneficence, it's about promises unfulfilled to a people who's rights are now under active attack by the government they help fund; not just about their representation, but their self-determination.

[MichMan]

7. White incumbents in safe districts should think about stepping aside in favor of Black candidates

[bigtree]

10. interesting

...rec.

[B.See]

13. Don't know what it will be, but think it SHOULD include

massive voter registration drives and more massive voter turnouts in EVERY election
massive protests on the order of Selma '65 and George Floyd protests
massive boycotts of red state businesses, tourism, and events that back right wing agendas.

For example, read an article the other day that discussed the massive amount of money SEC colleges make off of the talent of athletes (many of whom are Black). So, maybe don't play for 'em?? Move to and support HBCU's instead?? Though I'd imagine that's a lot to consider. Just tossing it out there.

But I think my version of the question (and the answers above) shouldn't just be "what should the Black community's reaction be" but "what SHOULD the Democratic Party's and liberals' and progressives' (Blacks whites and others) reaction be?

Because frankly there's been NO demographic (percentage wise) more faithful to the Democratic Party, liberal and progressive, than the Black community, and Black women in particular. So it goes without saying that the fate of the party as a whole,

perhaps of DEMOCRACY ITSELF (instead of a one party AUTOCRACY),

is INEXORABLY linked to Black voter participation and minority representation. So, what will/should WE do?

[bigtree]

15. with black Americans voting in huge pergentages already

Last edited Sun May 17, 2026, 08:02 PM - Edit history (1)

...the problem/solution rests with the white voters.

I understand getting more black voters to the polls to vote for Democrats, but what about the white voters? They look to be the problem here, not the folks who regularly show up to put their faith in Democrats at election day.

The handwringing I saw in a handful of prominent articles about a slip in the polling of the number of blacks supporting Democrats was a joke, considering that white Americans have most of the numbers, the clout, the access, and the means to make this happen.

[B.See]

16. Yes. That's why I wrote

more massive turnout and why the onus doesn't rest on Black voters alone.