Black dems prod California’s elected officials to take Emmett Till Pledge
The California Democratic Party African American Caucus (CDPAAC) is calling on all elected officials in California at the local, state and national levels to take a firm stand against racism.
By signing the Emmett Till Anti-Racism Pledge, the CDPAAC says politicians, who are the most important decision-makers in California, can demonstrate in a public and symbolic way that they denounce racism and support a society for all Californians that is fair, just and safe.
“The Democratic Party and the people of California must never forget about the murder of Emmett Till. It ignited the first civil rights movement. He was that generation’s George Floyd and Breonna Taylor,” said Taisha Brown, chair of the CDPAAC.
Brown, who lives in San Diego and was elected last year to lead the statewide group that represents Black registered Democrats across California, said standing up against racism in all of its forms is one of the top priorities of the caucus.
“The Black Caucus continues to serve in its historic role as the conscious of the California Democratic Party,” Brown told California Black Media. “Many in this country and around the state of California are trying to find out what they can do to contribute to this historic time in our nation’s history. The caucus wanted to assist individuals and elected officials in doing their part to fight against racism. It is a public health crisis.”
In California, about 73% of all likely Black Voters are registered Democrats, according to the Public Policy Institute of California.
Named for the 14-year-old African American boy who was brutally lynched in Mississippi in 1955 after being accused of offending a White woman, the Emmitt Till Pledge calls on elected officials to direct their “energies to combat bigotry and hate in our great state.”