The recent celebration of the 100
th
anniversary of women's suffrage
reminded me that at one time, my mother's right to vote did not come
with the same parity and entitlement that I have taken for granted. I
asked her what it was like to vote for the first time, how it impacted
her, and what this latent privilege meant as a Black woman. She took
me back to a time and place that seemingly looked and felt different
from today.
In 1960, a gallon of gas was $0.31, a loaf of bread cost about a
quarter, and the federal minimum wage was $1.00. It was the first
year my mother, in her early 20s at the time, would cast her vote for
an American president. That was a pivotal moment in her life. She
understood the power that vote yielded.
Refuse to give up. Resist being sidelined.
Growing up in segregated Kansas on a rural family farm, my mother
saw a lot and endured even more. The eldest of 15 children, she is the
matriarch, the one people respect and look up to. Only five feet and
two inches tall, what she lacked in physical stature, she more than
made up in sheer tenacity. To this day, her word is her bond. Through
unrelenting grit, she overcame barriers erected to deny her a good
education, employment opportunities, and fair housing.
She demonstrated, time and time again, a come-from-behind, warrior
spirit that always managed to finish strong. I watched her on many
occasions make a dollar out of 15 cents, working two jobs, and
sending her children to the best schools. She sacrificed greatly so that
my brother, sister, and I could live well and compete academically with
the kids who were born with silver spoons.
When I think about what makes my mom the woman she is, and how
she embodied an unapologetic toughness, I can't help but equate it, at
least in part, to the years as a young person creating her unique
rhythm in a nation that excused discrimination, racism, and offtimes
celebrated social injustice. For her, the choice was simple: hold the
line, refuse to give up, and resist being sidelined.
I liken her relentless drive to those of other front-line warriors, civil
rights activists like Dr. Martin Luther King, Coretta Scott King, Georgia
Congressman John Lewis, Jimmie Lee Jackson, Ruby Bridges, A. Philip
Randolph, Maude Ballou, Rev. Hosea Williams, Rosa Parks, Rev. Dr.
Pauli Murray, Claudette Colvin, Ralph D. Abernathy, Diane Nash, E.D.
Nixon, Bayard Rustin, Andrew Young, Jr., and so many others, who
risked life and limb for racial justice and the right to vote.
Like these civil rights heroes, my mother honored this right. We often
went to the polls with her on election day, and since 1960, she has
never missed an election – not even a local one. Mom knew she wasn't
only voting for herself, but for her ancestors who never had the
chance. As for me, my vote is dedicated to her and all that she
sacrificed so that I could be in a position to not only write this article,
but to serve as the publisher of accessHealth and disseminate news
and information to our readership – something we've had the honor to
do for nearly eight years.
Ask mom what she thinks about today's political climate and the
crucial vote we have ahead of us, and her response is familiar, "The
more things change, the more they stay the same." Perhaps we are at
a critical juncture that will give way to pronounced change. But as we
make moves to exercise our voting rights – whatever candidate we
choose – it's important to retrospect.
A cursory look at the days prior to the Voting Rights Act of
1965
For context, the 15th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution in 1870
granted Black [men] the right to vote by declaring the "right of citizens
of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the
United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous
condition of servitude."
For nearly a century afterward, suppression tactics effectively denied
Blacks the right to vote. This included everything from violence, poll
taxes, literacy tests, discriminatory voting registration practices, fraud
(discarding votes, miscounting ballots, etc.), stupid maneuvers like the
jellybean test, and many other exclusionary acts to deny and suppress
the Black vote.
However, the sheer tenacity of civil rights leaders who had the
audacity to challenge centuries of Jim Crow and other structurally
racist constructs, refused to give up, and resisted being sidelined even
when political leaders were reticent to push the envelope toward parity
out of fear of alienating their white base. Still, civil rights leaders held
the line, and remained steadfast even as President John F. Kennedy's
assassination shook up the White House and Lyndon B. Johnson was
sworn in as the 36th president. Now the onus was on his
administration to take up the mantle for civil rights.
The legislation had been proposed by President John F. Kennedy in
June 1963, but it was opposed by filibuster in the Senate. After
Kennedy was assassinated on Nov. 22, 1963, Johnson pushed the bill
forward. The United States House of Representatives passed the bill on
February 10, 1964, and after a 54-day filibuster, it passed the United
States Senate on June 19, 1964.
Johnson's defeat of Republican challenger Barry Goldwater secured his
presidency on Nov. 3, 1964. Less than a year later, and after
unrelenting pressure from civil rights activists, Johnson signed into law
the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This made it unlawful for states,
especially those in the South, to use unsavory tactics to suppress,
deny, or violate the voting rights of Blacks and other marginalized
people.
Flash forward 55 years later, voter suppression and misinformation
persist as a pandemic threatens to claim more casualties, already
killing 200,000 people. For many, mail-in or absentee voting is
necessary to avoid potential exposure to the coronavirus. However,
like the 1960s, and years prior, there is a power dynamic that favors
privilege over parity. Now it's up to us to hold the line.
Vote early. Vote once. Vote like your life depends on it.
If you haven't done so already, plan your vote today. Decide how you
will vote in this year's election. If you plan to vote by mail, request
your ballot, today. Reach out to those around you and help them
register by Missouri's Oct. 7, 2020 deadline. Reach out to your elderly
family members, friends, and neighbors, or other vulnerable
individuals, and help them vote absentee. If they prefer to vote in
person, provide a ride to the polls if necessary. And remember, you
can vote in-person absentee from Sept. 22, 2020, through Nov. 2,
2020 prior to election day. Get your plans in order, today. The below
resources will help.
When is the last day to register in Missouri?
Oct. 7, 2020. Follow this link to register, today.
How do I check to see if my voter registration is current?
Follow this link to verify your voter registration.
How do I register to vote?
1. Submit an online voter registration application.
2. Register in person.
3. Print and mail your application.
4. Request an application be mailed.
Follow this link for any of the above options.
Important Note: Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus) all Missouri
voters may vote by mail for the Nov. 3 election. All voters may
vote absentee with a notarization of the ballot envelope, and
voters in at-risk categories for contracting or transmitting
COVID-19 are eligible to vote absentee by mail WITHOUT
getting the envelope notarized.
For more information, or to request an absentee ballot, follow
this link.
The last day to request an absentee ballot is Oct. 21, 2020.
Follow this link for other important deadlines for Missouri
voters. (These deadlines apply to the entire state of Missouri.)
What are my voting options?
1. Request an absentee ballot.
2. Request a mail-in ballot.
3. Vote in-person absentee (Missouri allows early voting from
September 22 through November 2, 2020 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
and Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020 from 8 a.m. until noon. Contact your local
election authority to find your early-voting location.
4. Vote on election day, Nov. 3, 2020, from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m. in
Missouri.
Note: If mailing your ballot, the United States Postal Service requests
all ballots be mailed seven (7) days prior to election day. (However,
don't wait, request your ballot today and mail it immediately.
Remember, the last day to request an absentee ballot is Oct. 21,
2020.)
If I vote in-person absentee, do I have to get my ballot
notarized?
No. If you vote in-person absentee, you are not required to notarize
your ballot. However, you cannot use the in-person absentee to cast a
mail-in ballot. If you are opting to mail in your ballot, it must be postal
mailed. USPS requires these ballots be mailed seven days prior to
election day. Follow this link for more information about mail-in
ballots.
What are acceptable forms of ID?
For all deemed acceptable forms, follow this link.
Is it a felony in Missouri to double vote?
Yes, it is a felony to vote twice in Missouri with a fine not more than
$10,000 or imprisonment not more than five years or both.
How do I report voter intimidation or suppression?
If you suspect voter intimidation or suppression, report it to Missouri's
Election Integrity Unit. You can also contact your local FBI office, or
local U.S. attorney's office.
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