Ep. 131 - The Legacy of Black Voting: Lessons from the Voting Rights Act and Jesse Jackson

On this episode of Broke-ish, Amber and Erika are joined by political strategist and longtime friend of the show, Dedrick Asante-Muhammad, to discuss the Supreme Court's recent decision eroding the Voting Rights Act against the backdrop of Jesse Jackson's historical presidential runs in 1984 and 1988 and what those events reveal about the legacy of Black voting. We start with the history of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments and lay the foundation for why the Voting Rights Act was still necessary almost a century later. Then, we look at the impact of the VRA in both affirming the right of Black people to vote and in increasing the number of elected Black representatives. Through Jesse Jackson's presidential runs in 1984 and 1988, Dedrick connects the dots between Black enfranchisement and Black political power. But alas, we also acknowledge the limitations of Black voting power and Black representatives to work within a system intentionally designed to keep us subjugated. Press play to join the conversation!