Stop Saying Black Men Don’t Vote

Let’s just get right to it; Black men vote. Black men not only vote, but they are civically engaged. Black men hold voter registration drives, host town halls, canvas neighborhoods, and yes, come out on election day to vote. So it’s time to stop saying that they don’t.

Zooming out, understanding Black Americans means understanding that Black folks vote and vote regularly. Black people are among the most civically engaged in the nation and have historically been the Democrats most faithful voting bloc. Pew Research estimates there will be 34.4 Million eligible Black voters by November 2024. This same report estimated seven out of ten Black people are eligible to vote and the majority of Black voters (60%) fall between the ages of 18 and 49 years old.

Yet, while Black women are upheld as the bastions of democracy, Black men are either vilified for an alleged lack of participation or ignored entirely. Election after election, there remains the pervasive belief that Black men are not only the least likely to be civically engaged, but that they vote less than any other demographic.

This belief, this stereotype, is only confirmed looking across traditional media and social media. Every week, certain Black male celebrities, influencers, and internet personas spread disinformation to millions of their followers or subscribers with few folks to check them. Traditional media often isn’t any better. Too often will a reporter show up at a local barbershop or basketball court and find someone willing to share the most ridiculous and ignorant take and turn that into their story with rarely any other commentary to counterbalance the ignorance. That counterbalance is often in those same barbershops or on those same basketball courts in other Black men who are well informed and actively engaged.

The truth is less sensational and might not bring in as many clicks or subscribers, but it still must be emphasized. Of course Black men are politically engaged. Of course they care about their families, neighbors, and communities. Of course they vote.

Before we have this conversation, we need to acknowledge that there are things that prevent Black folks, particularly Black men, from voting. There is voter disenfranchisement every election cycle. There is voter suppression every election cycle. There is an abundance of disinformation. There is disenfranchisement due to mass incarceration. There are closed polling places, gerrymandering, and more obstacles impeding voting every election cycle.

Yet, Black folks show up every election cycle. Black men show up every election cycle.

Built into our culture is a legacy of civic engagement. The earliest example of this is seen in the Freedmen’s Conventions, where free Black folks gathered to talk politics and advocate for human rights. The first “convention” was held in 1830 at Mother Bethel AME Church in Philadelphia. That meeting launched the National Convention movement and Black civic engagement nationally.

Black churches historically have been places for more than just good word and prayer. Black churches have a long history of community empowerment and civic engagement. Many churches today continue that history of service by engaging in community activism, organizing voter registration drives, and offering a forum where information meets inspiration.

The Divine Nine is comprised of Historically Black Greek letter organizations with civic engagement built within their structure. Initiatives such as A Voteless People Is A Hopeless People created by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc, the “QUEPrint” For Getting Ready To Vote by Omega Psi Phi, and others mobilize Historically Black fraternities to assist in voter registration within Black communities. This year has also seen a rise in coordinated events between the fraternities surrounding voting and voter turnout.

Outside of Black Greek and religious life, there are many Black men’s organizations with initiatives of their own empowering Black men to vote. The national organization 100 Black Men is currently touring the country combating disinformation and hosting town halls. Philadelphia is one of their stops. Meanwhile, here at home, Philly’s local Black Men Vote launched in February of this year with plans of education seminars, door to door canvassing, and other community initiatives.

The national Black Men Vote, a PAC with the goal of increasing Black male political engagement, polled Black male voters in the battleground states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. That poll found that 85% of Black men in those battleground states plan on voting in November with 20% of Black men stating they plan to vote in person before election day, and 55% planning on voting in person on election day.

Black men regularly rally behind candidates they support. Following the Zoom call of over 40,000 Black Women that raised $1.5 Million for Vice President Harris’s campaign in three hours, the very next call in support of Harris was Black men. The organization Win With Black Men organized a digital conference call of 53,000 Black men that raised $1.3 Million. That organization is directing those funds to nationwide efforts to increase Black men’s political engagement. So far, over 150 organizations have applied for that funding.

While progress is slow, it seems culture and politicians are finally taking note of what our community has known all along; Black women may be a key demographic but Black men are also key. Black men not only show up on election day, many are engaged, active, and vocal even when the ballot boxes are away. It’s beyond time to hang up the stereotypes because Black men certainly do vote.