In retrospect, the year 2002 can be seen as the year that the black vote in central-Brooklyn grew up a bit. That was the years that Delores Thomas and Margarita Lopez-Torres won countywide judgeships in the county of Kings (and wannabee political-kingpins). These achievements of Delores and Margarita were phenomenal; coming after many years of Clarence Norman, Howard Golden and company, discouraging and/or blocking the challenges of minority candidates, for borough-wide slots. The central argument from those power players was that the votes just weren’t there for minority victories. These ladies sure proved them wrong. Then in 2003, Chadeya Simpson won another of those county-wide judgeships as a black woman; that was when many people started taking notice of the black vote in Brooklyn: especially in the democratic primary elections.
In 2004, two blacks (Johnny Baynes and Evelyn La Porte) won county-wide judgeships; this is when the black vote was acknowledged as having arrived. Last year (2005), Sylvia Ash and Margarita Lopez-Torres (again) both won county-wide races. Earlier this month, there were six candidates running for two county-wide judicial slots. Four were black women; two were white men. When it was over, two of the women prevailed (Williams and Douglas). Make no bones about it, the black vote in Brooklyn has arrived folks; especially in the democratic primary.
If Norman, Golden and company-representing the then status quo of Brooklyn’s politics- had aggressively supported minority candidates over the years, there would have been many more minority judges being positioned for State Supreme Court right now. What a shame! Especially when we all know that RACISM is alive and well in the judiciary (as it is in all other aspects of life in this country), and could be better countered with diversity on the bench.
Before closing this article, I must make mention however, of the year 1996; since this was the year (to me) that the first sign of the black vote being woken up emerged. The 19th Senatorial District was held by one Howard Babboush (white) for the 18 years preceding, and he was being challenged by two black candidates (Kenneth Evans and John Sampson). This district took up parts of East Flatbush, Midwood, Canarsie, Starett City, Georgetown, Mill Basin, and spots around and in-between. All the pundits were saying that with two blacks in the race the incumbent will prevail; but when Mitch Alter, Omar Boucher, Kendall Stewart, Asquith Reid-and the others behind John Sampson’s successful challenge- took out Babboush that year, it was a strong signal that things were changing. Some have argued that the heavy Caribbean-American influx to these areas led to a major demographic shift that supported this success; this is true in part. However, that Caribbean-American vote isn’t nearly as organized as it could and should be in All parts of Brooklyn. Too many Caribs aren’t citizens, too many other Caribs who are citizens aren’t voting; when they do become citizens and start voting, then the dynamics will shift even further.
Stay tuned-in folks.