 black women leaders from across the country created the National Black Women's Political Caucus, recently renamed the National Political Congress of Black Women, and elected former Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm as its chairwoman.
According to executive director Donna Brazille, the organization now has over 1,000 members in 32 states and cities and has scheduled its first convention for June in Atlanta.
In Washington, an organizing meeting to form the local chapter of the group is scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday Feb. 23 at the Watha T. Daniel Public Library, Seventh Street and Rhode Island Avenue NW.
"Washington is the nation's capital; the eyes of the world will be on us and now is the time to come together to assess our political clout and make sure we use it wisely," said City Council member Nadine Winter (D-Ward 6), one of the members of a steering committee organizing the Saturday meeting.
"I think this is an urgent cause now because we are at a point where the tide is changing in history," added Hilda H. Mason (Statehood-At Large), also on the committee.
The dramatic rise in registering and voting among black women is just one step in a growing political sophistication that will culminate in more women seeking elective and appointive office at all levels in all parties as well as endorsing and supporting candidates. Leaders foresee major politicians being forced to respond to the special issues of black women who are at the bottom of America's economic ladder.
One of the less positive aspects of this political empowerment, however, is the insecurity that it has provoked in some black men who argue that a separate organization is dangerously divisive.
"In many ways black men and women have a common agenda," said Chisholm. "But the fact remains that in many ways, consciously and subconsciously, black men have not permitted black women to express themselves to their fullest potential . . . . People have to understand that black women are not trying to compete with black men . . . but we have intelligence, brains, ability and aptitude like all the rest of the people who make up the human species, and we're no longer going to be sitting back letting others use us or be submissive and not have real input.
" . . . Black women have been strong, resilient persons," continued Chisholm, "and I think there is a hidden fear that if they begin to move out and develop organizationally, there is a possibility they can outstrip other groups . . . . But we will be mobilizing . . . to become a political force to be reckoned with in the American scheme of things."