As a candidate for the nation’s second-highest office under the Progressive Party’s ticket in 1952, she addressed conventions on March 30 that year.
“Bass has certainly paved the way for the Kamalas of today, in terms of both their identity and their coalition-building policy,” said Keisha N. Blain, associate professor of history at the University of Pittsburgh and author of “Set the World on Fire: Black nationalist women and the global struggle for freedom. “
“But it is equally important to talk about the countless Black women whose labor has formed the backbone of the Democratic Party.”
Bass made history before running for VP
Her fight against injustice began decades before her political bid. She used her newspaper as a platform to cover issues such as police brutality, restrictive housing, the Ku Klax Klan and civil liberties.
When Bass’ husband died in 1934, they increased their activism by joining groups fighting injustice. She also founded the National Sojourner for Truth and Justice Club, which worked to improve working conditions for Black women.
“Throughout her career, Bass evolved and worked with various political groups, capturing the richness and complexity of Black politics,” Blain said.
She served as president of a chapter of the Universal Negro Improvement Association, working with the modern NAACP, and was a leader among leftists and communists in the Sojourners for Truth and Justice, she added.
“Bass’s ability to move within radical and more mainstream circles – and her ability to extract important insights from each other – is an important lesson for Harris as she strives to form a successful political coalition with Biden,” Blain said.
While Bass has been a major figure in politics, Blain said, equally important are Charlene Mitchell, Shirley Chisholm and countless other Black women who – often behind the scenes – have worked to make minorities in politics mainstream.
“Mitchell ran for president on the Communist Party ticket in 1968, and Chisholm campaigned in the Democratic presidential primary in 1972. These women paved the way for Harris and other Black women in presidential politics,” she said.
Hallinan received 140,000 votes.
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