By Dr. Ernest L. Reid, Jr
Stay in the Fight: Vote
In March 1965, brave men and women crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, facing clubs, tear gas, and violence in their demand for voting rights. Five months later, on August 6, 1965, their sacrifice helped lead to the passage of the Voting Rights Act, one of the most significant pieces of civil rights legislation in American history. Decades later, Black voter turnout continues to demonstrate its power to shape elections and influence public policy. That history makes a troubling reality impossible to ignore: when eligible Black voters stay home, communities lose influence over decisions that affect their schools, neighborhoods, economic opportunities, and future.
I understand the disappointment many African Americans feel toward the political process. We have watched candidates’ campaign vigorously in Black neighborhoods only to disappear after Election Day. We have seen schools struggle, neighborhoods remain neglected, and economic disparities persist regardless of who occupies public office. For many, politics can feel like a hustle; a cycle of promises followed by neglect. That frustration is real.
However, disappointment and disengagement are not the same thing. One of the greatest challenges facing the Black community today is voter apathy—the belief that participation no longer matters.
Our history tells a different story. For generations, Black Americans fought, marched, suffered, and in some cases died for the right to vote. The ballot was not freely given; it was won through sacrifice. During the Jim Crow era, literacy tests and other barriers were used to prevent African Americans from voting. These tests were often administered unfairly, ensuring that many qualified Black citizens were denied access to the ballot. Black applicants could be asked absurd questions while white applicants received favorable treatment. Yet our ancestors persisted because they understood a fundamental truth: political power rarely listens to those who do not participate. The vote was never viewed as a cure-all. It was viewed as a tool.
Today, many younger voters inherit this right without fully appreciating the struggle behind it. Because they did not witness poll taxes, literacy tests, segregated voting booths, or the violence of the Civil Rights Movement, voting can seem routine or insignificant. Yet local elections often affect daily life more directly than presidential elections. School boards, city councils, judges, and state legislators make decisions that influence education, housing, public safety, healthcare, and voting access itself.
When people choose not to vote, they do not remove themselves from the process. They simply surrender their voice to someone else. Communities with low voter participation often receive less resources and care because elected officials naturally focus on groups that consistently show up. If a community is perceived as unlikely to vote, its concerns become easier to overlook.
The Black church historically understood this connection. During the Civil Rights Movement, churches served as centers of worship, voter registration, civic education, and community organization. Faith and public responsibility were viewed as inseparable.
Scripture teaches that stewardship matters. Jesus said, “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required” (Luke 12:48). The freedoms secured by previous generations carry responsibility. Just as we steward our finances, talents, and influence, we must also steward our citizenship and seek the welfare of our communities.
Voting alone will not solve every problem facing Black America. It will not eliminate poverty, eradicate racism, or heal every social wound. But refusing to participate guarantees that others will make decisions on our behalf. In many respects, choosing not to vote is still a choice that shapes outcomes. Silence at the ballot box allows others to determine priorities for our communities.
Our ancestors understood this truth. They believed the vote was valuable enough to fight for. The question before us is whether we value it enough to use it.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. often spoke of “the fierce urgency of now.” Those words remain relevant today. Register to vote. Confirm your voter status. Learn about upcoming elections. Encourage others to do the same. Every vote is an opportunity to influence decisions that affect our schools, neighborhoods, families, and future.
The fight for voting rights did not end in Selma. It continues every Election Day. The sacrifices made on the Edmund Pettus Bridge remind us that voting is more than a political act—it is an act of stewardship, responsibility, and respect for those who paid a price so that our voices could be heard. Stay in the fight. Vote!