Celebrating History on Election Day
On Election Day, a momentous occasion unfolded as Representative Barbara Lee, a prominent California Democrat, joined a spirited group of approximately two dozen Black women outside a polling station in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Their gathering was a vibrant celebration of the historic rise of Vice President Kamala Harris.
The jubilant assembly included well-known figures such as Angela Alsobrooks, who would later that day make headlines by becoming one of the two African American women elected to the U.S. Senate. This event was particularly significant, as the Senate has never had more than one Black woman serving simultaneously. Among the crowd were Dawn Moore, the First Lady of Maryland, and Takisha James, the mayor of Bladensburg, along with members of the Town Council—all of whom proudly identified as Black women.
As they posed for a photo, an enthusiastic onlooker called out, “Black girl magic, right there!” This sentiment encapsulated the hope and excitement of the moment.
However, the enchantment of the day quickly faded that evening. Ms. Lee, still donning a T-shirt emblazoned with Ms. Harris’s image and the slogan “It’s Time,” found herself amidst a dwindling crowd at the vice president’s victory celebration at Howard University. She had brought her grandson along to witness what she had hoped would be a historic moment, but instead, they departed with “tears in our eyes,” reflecting on the unexpected outcome.
The loss was particularly poignant for Ms. Lee, who is 78 years old and widely regarded as a liberal icon. She holds the distinction of being the highest-ranking Black woman in House leadership and has a deep-rooted history in politics, having served on Shirley Chisholm’s groundbreaking presidential campaign back in 1972. Elected to Congress in 1998 from the same Oakland district where Ms. Harris was raised, Ms. Lee faced a devastating primary defeat this year in her bid to fill the Senate seat left vacant by the passing of Senator Dianne Feinstein.
In a recent event held in Oakland, Ms. Lee graciously passed the baton to Representative-elect Lateefah Simon, symbolizing a hopeful transition for future leadership.
Ultimately, the primary victory went to Representative Adam Schiff, a California Democrat who has garnered the support of Nancy Pelosi and the party establishment. Currently, both Senate seats in California are occupied by men—Senator Alex Padilla being the other—marking a departure from the state’s three-decade legacy of having two women senators serving simultaneously. Throughout the campaign, Ms. Lee had fervently supported Ms. Harris and had hoped to contribute meaningfully within her administration.
