Fordham professor talks black impact on society in keynote address
Christina Greer received the W.E.B. Du Bois Distinguished Book Award in 2014. Photo by Jon Mirador
Zach Armstrong, Contributing Writer
Christina Greer, a Fordham University political science professor, is acutely aware of the contributions of black Americans to politics and social life. The writer made the issue the topic of her Feb. 5 keynote address for VCU’s Black History Month celebration.
Greer, the recipient of the 2014 W.E.B. Du Bois Distinguished Book Award by the National Conference of Black Political Scientists, highlighted the impact of Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman to seek a major party’s nomination for Congress.
“Shirley was stuck in this position of being a black woman and not being fully integrated in gender or racial politics,” Greer said. “Funny enough we are still seeing this 50 years later today where the Democratic party seems to like black women in theory.”
During the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial election, former Vice President Joe Biden endorsed U.S. Rep. Stacey Evans instead of Stacey Abrams, while Abrams polled higher. Greer, who campaigned with Abrams, highlighted this, saying it seems difficult for Democrats to elect people of color.
“When you scratch the surface, you realize they were elected despite the Democratic party,” Greer said.
Greer pointed out that the U.S. did not elect its first black democratic senator, Carol Moseley Braun from Illinois, until 1993. The party may talk plenty about racial equity, Greer said, but its lack of black representation in elected office remains an issue.
“This current administration has been very clear that they do not like the composition of the United States and they are very fearful of the composition of the United States and they can’t make any more white people.” Greer said.
