Black Girls Lead: The Link Between Public Schools and a Voter Surge

When Vice President Kamala Harris replaced President Joe Biden at the top of the Democratic presidential ticket, she became the first woman of color with a realistic shot at the presidency and an instant inspiration to Black women — some of whom raised $1.3 million on her behalf in just a few hours.Harris’s groundbreaking campaign has now spearheaded another phenomenon: young Black women are currently leading the recent surge in voter registrations.According to data from& TargetSmart, the voter registration rate for young Black women in 13 key battleground states& has skyrocketed to 175% — nearly triple the rate from the last presidential election four years ago. The registration rate for Black women in general, experienced similar growth — increasing by 98%, while the overall Black voter rate also rose by 85%, according to TargetSmart data.Since Harris’ nomination, Democrats have significantly out-registered Republicans, highlighting the effectiveness of the Democratic National Committee’s targeted efforts to engage young Black voters. Public education has long been critical to nurturing the civic identities of Black students. After the landmark Brown v. Board of Education& decision in 1954, centered on Linda Brown, a Black girl — the ruling enabled Black students to attend better-funded, previously all-white...