Firing Line: Charles Blow

Author Charles Blow speaks on how African Americans can empower themselves in politics.

He states that in order for African Americans to have political power, they need to migrate to the south. From a historical perspective, the majority of states in the south were dominated by African American populations. But, the people were driven out and dispersed across the country.

They had a chance of real political power but lost that when they left the southern states.

“Reverse that great migration, reconstitute that power base, and you have access to all the power that the states under the Constitution control,” he said.

In order for a person to have power, they must elect an official who will advance their priorities. Although African Americans have power from a local region, they do have any power from a state or federal region.

“Black people have not been able to deliver a state or been the majority of the coalition that delivers a state to any candidate of any party,” he said.

The only exception to this rule is when African Americans in Georgia were able to deliver the state to President Joe Biden.

He believes that the south is a much better place for an African American to live in than the north or west. Civil rights originated in the south, and modern-day southern states have improved significantly because of this fact.

Unlike the south, cities in the north and west are still dealing with racial tensions that the south dealt with decades ago.

Furthermore, the political structures and the police forces within southern states are often are dominated by African Americans.

“Its hard to find a major southern city now that doesn’t have a black mayor,” he said.

This is why if African Americans all congregate into the South, they can flip southern states and elect officials who will fight for them.