On the Fragility of American Democracy… and the Power of Young Black Activists to Save It

In every era, young Black activists have been the vanguard in the struggle to make American democracy more inclusive and representative. Their activism has not only shaped the trajectory of this nation but has served as a relentless demand for America to confront its contradictions and live up to its ideals. From the school desegregation battles to the Civil Rights Movement to Black Lives Matter, these leaders have often placed their lives and futures on the line to secure not just civil rights but to expand the vision of democracy itself. They’ve redefined what inclusion means and set a foundation for generations to come.

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The legacy of young Black activism feels particularly urgent in the wake of Donald Trump’s decisive political resurgence. Trump’s victory in 2016 and now, his sweeping victory over Kamala Harris remind us of the barriers to achieving an inclusive democracy. His ascent underscores how fragile and unfinished the American democratic project remains.

As we navigate this moment, history offers two crucial lessons: first, that young Black activists have always been central to democratic progress in this country, and second, we have, as a country, overly depended on Black activists to do the work of fighting for change, and that progress is not guaranteed unless we see broader coalition-building and increased opposition from allies. That, democracy, itself, is also not guaranteed—it is only built through action, struggle, and an unwavering commitment to justice.

Trump’s reemergence as a political force, cementing Trumpism and its usurping of the Republican Party, reveals not just the persistence of resistance to change but also the depth of resilience and tenacity required to safeguard democratic values moving forward.

Throughout history, young Black activists have been at the forefront of pushing this nation toward its democratic objectives. Think about the Civil Rights Movement, where young people like Charlie Cobb, Diane Nash, Bob Moses, and John Lewis—all in their teens and early 20s—played pivotal roles. Nash, one of the founding members of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee they were all part of, led sit-ins in Nashville and was an essential organizer of the Freedom Rides, exposing the brutality of segregation and forcing federal intervention. Cobb founded Freedom Schools during the 1964 Mississippi Freedom Summer; it empowered Black youth in the state by providing education centered on civil rights, history, and political activism, preparing them for leadership in the movement.

Moses spearheaded the Freedom Summer, organizing voter registration drives in the face of violent opposition, and later launched the Algebra Project, connecting education to social change. Lewis—who later became a congressman for Georgia’s 5th district, serving for more than 30 years before his death in 2020—led the historic 1965 march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, where he and others endured vicious attacks that galvanized public support for the Voting Rights Act.

The legacy of such young lives who simply got tired of enduring subjugation and decided to step up and do something lives on in contemporary movements like Black Lives Matter. BLM has drawn heavily on the energy and creativity of those activists who paved the way. They were instrumental in galvanizing young people across this nation after the killings of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown, spotlighting the pervasiveness of systemic racism and the stench of white supremacy that has, for too long, tainted the justice system. Their efforts have not only focused on police reform but have broadened conversations about economic inequality, environmental justice, and voting access—core components of a truly inclusive democracy.

Similarly, the wave of activism following the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, and Breonna Taylor—all compounded deaths in 2020 that led to the seismic global reckoning that year—has been powered by youth-led movements unwavering in their demand for justice and parity, proving that the fight for human dignity is both urgent and unrelenting.

However, as history shows, progress is neither simple nor linear. The victories of the Civil Rights Movement—culminating in landmark legislation like the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which ended the race-based immigration quota system—did not guarantee lasting change. The 2013 Shelby County v. Holder Supreme Court decision gutted key provisions of the Voting Rights Act, opening the door to a new wave of voter suppression laws disproportionately affecting Black voters. And, let’s not forget the Supreme Court’s most recent decisions to overturn Roe v. Wade in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization and the dismantling of race-conscious admissions policies in higher education. Such regressive actions have further underscored the fragility of American democracy—of progress. These rulings not only threaten civil protections and equity but also serve as stark reminders of how quickly hard-won victories can be unraveled.

Trump’s first presidency exemplified how such rights could be rolled back. His administration’s attempts to undermine voting access, his refusal to condemn white supremacy, his emboldening of hate—an “othering” that saw hate crimes surge 20% under his leadership—and his propagation of disinformation about election integrity, for example, are stark reminders of the forces that resist democratic expansion. Forces that prefer control over liberty—division over unity. We cannot forget the January 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection—an existential threat posed by those who reject pluralism and inclusion. A second Trump presidency threatens the very essence of the democracy that so many have fought—and bled—for, reminding us that freedom has never been free. It is paid for through vigilance, sacrifice, and the tireless pursuit of justice, and it must be fiercely defended if it is to endure.

Young Black activists have always understood this, that democracy is not a static achievement but an ongoing process. Their legacy reminds us that progress requires perseverance and courage. The Civil Rights Movement didn’t succeed solely because of legislative victories but because of the uncompromising organizing, coalition-building, and vision of young leaders who refused to accept the status quo. Similarly, today’s activists are challenging systems of oppression while reimagining what democracy can be in the 21st century, even in the face of regressive policies.

And while Trump’s victory may feel like a stain on democracy and a degeneration from the progress fought for and made, history teaches us that such moments are not the end but the beginning of a renewed fight. We must draw strength from those who came before us, who faced seemingly insurmountable odds yet pressed forward. We must fight. We must hope. And we must step into action with the conviction that the arc of the moral universe bends toward justice only when we dare to push it.

Trump’s resurgence is a sobering wake-up call. It signals not just the unremitting power of reactionary politics but also the necessity of resilience. History teaches us, most of all, that the need to protect and fortify democracy is enduring, but it also instructs us that activism can prevail against overwhelming odds. From the abolitionist movement to the present, young Black leaders have reshaped this nation, proving that even in the face of profound resistance, progress is possible. Progress, now more than ever, is necessary. That is the true mandate.

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Rita Omokha’s Resist: How a Century of Young Black Activists Shaped America is out now from St. Martin’s Press.