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Cynthia McKinney’s son was the first member of her family to register in the Green Party. Then, Cynthia McKinney joined the Green Party, at the urging of her many Green Party fans and supporters around the country.
Leading up the Green Party 2008 Presidential Convention in Chicago, both of Cynthia’s parents-Bill McKinney and Leola McKinney-switched their registration from Democratic Party to Green Party. Then, at a meeting of the Green Party of the United State Black Caucus, Cynthia McKinney’s parents were elected to be the delegates from the Black Caucus. So, Cynthia McKinney’s parents went on stage to cast the GP-US Black Caucus’s two votes: both for their daughter, Cynthia McKinney for candidate for President of the United States.
Cynthia McKinney's parents, Bill and Leola McKinney, cast the Green Party Black Caucus votes for Cynthia McKinney for President
Unfortunately, with the time pressure and formality of a convention, there was not very much ceremony to the casting of the McKinney’s votes. Though, the people who were part of the decision, or who knew the McKinney’s, did realize the impact of the moment on stage. It was so wonderful that, among the Greens and the Black Caucus, there was such a commitment to genuine, progressive family values, and that at the convention there was such a caring, sincere environment, that such a gesture could be made. I wonder if any other parents have cast the votes for their child to be a Presidential Candidate? I believe it should be a traditional piece of ceremony, like a bride dancing with her father on her wedding day.
Filed under: cynthia mckinney, Green Party Websites, News, Political Websites, president, presidential race, progressive politics, third party, US Politics Tagged: | Bill McKinney, cynthia mckinney, third parties
The 2008 Presidential election has produced yet another milestone in African American history. On Saturday, July 12th, former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney secured the Green Party nomination… making her their official standard bearer for the office of the President of the United States of America.
McKinney’s history-making feat also allows… for the first time in this nation… two Black candidate’s names (McKinney and Senator Obama) to be placed on the election ballot in most––if not all–– the States in the Fall. Regardless of anti-war McKinney’s irrefutable reputation in the past of being a bit over-the-top, or hot-tempered… her victory gives way for all Americans, particularly African American women, men, boys and girls to celebrate this high-point in our culture/country. Like it or not, McKinney will be noted in the annals of time as the first African American woman in Presidential history to represent a major party in pursuit of the highest office in the nation.
With that said, let us relish in the pride of the moment and applaud McKinney for doing what several other African American women: Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm (1972), Dr. Isabelle Masters (1984, 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004), Leonora B. Fulani (1988 and 1992) and Senator Carole Moseley Braun (2004) attempted to do… but failed.
Now, there are those who will attempt to verbally assail her as a “spoiler” or an “Obama hater” for jumping into the race at this juncture. But we live on a rapidly expanding ‘global’ playground… and African Americans can no longer be pigeonholed to one party nor viewed as one-dimensional or monolithic on the political landscape.
With both Barack Obama and Cynthia McKinney’s names on this year’s presidential ballot will make available a ‘choice’ that has not been afforded to Blacks in this country EVER…a choice that may never happen again for a long while.
http://www.vberryhill-soulvoice.blogspot.com
As I just posted to V. Berryhill’s site, no, Cynthia is not the first African-American woman. Lenora Fulani (New Alliance Party) was. She ran in 1988 and 1992. Her 1992 running mate was also a woman of color. Fulani was on the ballot in all fifty states.
No, Keesha, it was Shirley Chisolm in 1972 and there was others before her in 1964 including Angela Davis but they ran as Communists