This Historic Day!
The Association for the Study of African American Life and History marks this historic day of November 7, 2020 in the life of our nation—this day announcing the President-elect Joseph Biden and his Vice-President Kamala Harris, the first woman and African American to hold the position of Second-in-command. The presidential victory brings new meaning to this year’s ASALH theme “African Americans and the Vote” and our commemoration of the Fifteenth Amendment (1870) and the Nineteenth Amendment (1920). It speaks to the centuries of struggle for voting rights by African Americans and especially to the present-day unwavering efforts to make our votes count. This historic day upholds the legacy of the great Congressman John Lewis, who never let us forget, as he stated: “The right to vote is precious, almost sacred. It is the most powerful nonviolent tool or instrument in a democratic society. We must use it.” And we did.
Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham
ASALH National President