By Nelson B. Rivers III
Sometimes, it’s hard to fully understand why we still organize, protest, march or even vote when so many measures are designed to take away our civil rights and hard-won gains.
Well, the state of South Carolina, my home state, proved to everyone why our voices and our ability to participate in the electoral process are still so vital and can literally change the course of this great nation. Last week, the S.C. Senate voted against advancing a new congressional map, ending an unfair redistricting effort that was designed to eliminate the state’s single near-majority black district. It is a decisive victory, and a nod to good old-fashioned strategizing, mobilizing voters, working with the black church and simply showing up.
For the past several weeks, Trudy Grant, manager of our National Action Network Religious Affairs Department, and I have been on the ground with our other NAN colleagues to push for the defeat of the blatantly racist new map and encourage voters to come out and cast their ballots in this important primary election.
We traveled 200 miles a day, building relationships and expanding existing ones with the Legislative Black Caucus, black clergy, the ACLU and others. We met with community members and local leaders and listened to people’s concerns. We attended a public hearing on the matter where 76 people spoke, including Trudy and me. We met with Gov. Henry McMaster, and by the end, we collectively changed the minds of some elected officials.
We must acknowledge and express gratitude to the Black Caucus, which did remarkable and mind-altering work inside the Legislature. We also worked closely with the leadership of the Baptist Educational and Missionary Convention of South Carolina — the largest black church denomination in our state — and other black clergy.
We were able to drive an early voting campaign that on May 26 saw record turnout; more people cast ballots early that morning than any previous early voting totals. As of 3 p.m., some 44,600 people had already voted in person, nearly doubling the previous record for a single day of early voting in a primary election. Everywhere there was a line; there’s almost never a line during early voting. The people showed up, they voted, they refused to let an unfair map pass, they refused to let black votes be diluted, and they protected U.S. Rep. James Clyburn’s seat and district. It was a true testament to the power of the people.
This is clearly why it’s so important to vote. The sheer volume of individuals who were present for early voting was so overwhelming that even some who were in favor of the new district lines decided to vote against them in the last hour. National Action Network South Carolina and the national organization are proud to have been part of this effort to inform and empower voters, as well as strategize with other leaders to bring this victory home. South Carolina is now the first state to buck the redistricting trend in the South that is destroying our districts and our representation within the federal government. The voters clearly said: not on our watch.
As the strongest civil rights organization in the state, NAN has developed relationships with both the Black Caucus and other members of the General Assembly through the years. We worked as a cohesive unit, and the key point was that we never got off message. This was an attack on the right to vote for black people, and the people needed to fight back.
The black church and clergy were heavily involved in organizing and reminding congregants of the power of their vote. We testified in hearings, we testified in people’s homes, and we walked with folks over and over again. It took a lot, but it was worth a lot. You simply cannot stop an election that’s already started without violating the rights of the people. And we are glad that others saw it this way as well and did the right thing.
Relationships, preparation and persistence are the key factors in overcoming any challenge or obstacle. When the new map was first proposed, many worried about what it would do to our representation and the power of our vote. Well, we sent a resounding message that will be heard all the way in the nation’s capital. As our esteemed leader, the Rev. Al Sharpton, often says: If you fight, you may lose, but if you don’t fight, you’re guaranteed to lose.
It is my honor to say that the citizens of South Carolina fought with a clear vision in mind: to protect our most fundamental right to vote — and we won.
