SAN FRANCISCO — The pre-election edition of The Promised Land podcast identifies a state by state analysis of Black voter behavior with a compelling case for how Black voter turnout in the past six years has achieved unprecedented economic gains.
John William Templeton, known as the Black Encyclopedia, points to a $9,000 gain in average Black family income from 2021 to 2022 as the direct result of Black voters in the 2018 and 2022 elections.
Given a less than 45 percent registration of Blacks between ages 18 and 24 and a 22 percent voting percentage in 2022, he highlights independent Black organizations focused on turning out 13.5 million voters.
Typically, 19 million of the 35 million African-American voters participate in Presidential year elections. Templeton, in his VOTEBLACKBUSINESS: State of Black Business, 21st ed., points to the legacy of 1860s voters who turned out in proportions of 90 percent in order to achieve the 14th and 15th Amendments.
“The Dismantling DEI Act co-sponsored by Sen. J.D. Vance and most Republicans in Congress would cripple the 14th Amendment,” notes Templeton. “We have a much greater capacity to reach the polls than newly freed African-Americans.”
“The provisions are already in effect in half of the states, so every state is a battleground for African-Americans,” added Templeton.