Black History’s Blueprint for Resistance
Introduction
To mark Black History Month, we start with an excerpt from Want to Fight Modern Authoritarianism? Look to Black History, by ChangeWire contributor and Community Change staff member Brandon Sutton, which reminds us that Black history is American history – and it cannot be erased:
“The most marvelous, unbelievable thing about Black people in America is that they exist. Every imaginable monstrosity that evil can conjure has been inflicted on this population, yet they have not been extinguished.” — Ibram X. Kendi, Four Hundred Souls
Despite the Trump Administration’s current rampage to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion from our institutions in a fit of barely-veiled racism — including a refusal to acknowledge Black History Month — we know that the story of America cannot be told without acknowledging the outsized impact of Black Americans.
While some have compared President Donald Trump’s return to the White House to 20th-century fascist leaders like Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany and Benito Mussolini in Italy, his heavy-handed authoritarian tactics have deeper roots — right here in the United States. From 1619, when the first African slaves were brought to these shores, through Reconstruction and the Jim Crow era, the American South fostered a homegrown form of fascism, where Black Americans were denied basic human rights, stripped of political representation, and subjected to constant threats to their existence.
Despite these challenges, Black Americans endured. Their influence has touched and transformed every aspect of American society — from the arts, politics, and music to law, food, and fashion. Black culture is American culture, and Black history is American history, which is precisely why Republicans across the country, including Trump himself, have attempted to erase and whitewash it.
Republicans understand that by studying Black history, we gain the tools to resist their oppression — Black history provides a blueprint for resilience and resistance. Now, more than ever, we must look to the past and learn from those who fought against even greater adversaries than we face today.
Keep reading Brandon’s article to learn more about America’s history of Black resistance and multiracial coalition building. And, read ahead for some examples of how we are working to address issues at the intersection of poverty and racism.”
Program Pulse
Power 50 Honors the Courage of Women of Color
As we fight to save our democracy and the programs that keep our economy going, we should pause to remember the brave and brilliant women of color — like welfare reform activist Johnnie Tillmon — who launched the welfare rights movement and advanced revolutionary ideas like targeted guaranteed income. Recognizing the many obstacles people like Tillmon have faced over the years, Community Change created our Power 50 program to support the leadership, organizing, and management skills of movement leaders who identify as Indigenous women and/or women of color. Last year we celebrated Power 50’s fifth anniversary and its incredible group of graduates. We’re now accepting applications for our sixth cohort, so if you or someone you know is interested, check out our FAQs and application.
Busting Medicaid Myths & Protecting Our Safety Net
Did you know that Medicaid pays for 2 in 5 births and 3 in 5 nursing home residents in the United States? In fact, it’s the largest source of health care coverage in the country. We are breaking down some of the most common misconceptions about the program and explaining how it works in our Medicaid Mythbusters series. Despite decades-long efforts to stigmatize and undermine Medicaid and other family-supporting programs, MAGA Republicans are discovering just how popular they are, even in deep-red geographies. Community Change Action is keeping the pressure up with messages flooding Members of Congress since Inauguration Day. We have also collected over 400 stories from people who rely on, or have relied on, safety net programs to remind our elected officials why they must take a stand against MAGA kleptocracy.
Next Up: We are planning to bring grassroots power to Washington, DC, for an April Lobby Day. Stay tuned for more information!
Poverty is a Policy Choice
A new report by Community Change partner Equity And Transformation Chicago shows that the Chicago Future Fund, the first guaranteed income program focused on formerly incarcerated individuals, helped recipients rebuild their lives, save money, pay down debts, and improve their housing stability. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. saw guaranteed income as a way to end poverty , and while there’s a wealth of data indicating he was right, myths and misunderstandings about the impact of guaranteed income programs are still widespread. Community Change believes programs like these can go a long way toward increasing community health and well-being, building worker power, and reducing racial and gender inequities. We are working with partners in Chicago – including Equity and Transformation, Workers Center for Racial Justice , and Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights – to explore new strategies to unite the efforts of guaranteed income recipients and build momentum for an idea whose time has come.
Before You Go
- Long-time Community Change partner Colorado People’s Alliance was quoted in The Denver Post from the front lines of the ICE raids in Denver and Aurora earlier this month.
- The work of our partner Hoosier Action to protect people’s access to Medicaid is described in Indiana GOP says Medicaid cuts will save money. Opponents say it’ll hurt Hoosiers, in the Indiana Daily Student.
- Read Brandon Sutton’s latest piece, The GOP Assault on Black Education Wants to Take Us Back to Separate and Unequal, in ChangeWire.
