Page 3 - Bulldogs Declassified Final

Part I. Introduction

“Knowledge is powerful, but if not used wisely can be destructive” Abbiegail Hugine

One of the most powerful areas where knowledge is power, is the power of the vote. I remember
as a middle school child about 10 years old, there were widespread efforts and laws to deny
voting and the power of voting to African Americans. One strategy that was used was to require
persons who wanted to vote to read the preamble to the Constitution. Many African Americans
could not read which was a way to stop us from voting; but they understood the power of the
vote and did what they had to do to obtain it. In our home church of Jerusalem AME, I can
remember sitting on the church pew and helping older persons learn the Preamble. Since they
could not read, they would commit it to memory. Those famous words which form the basis of
our democracy, “We the People of the United States of America in order to form a more perfect
union …” even then laws were in place to prevent it from being a “more perfect union” for African
Americans. As they memorized these words in their broken English dialect, you could sense their
excitement as they could finally meet the requirements to vote.
When I reflect on the barriers to voting then as well as the countless number of lives and sacrifices
made for this sacred right, I ask, why are we not voting in record numbers today? Our ancestors
knew that the political system only responds to two things: money and voter participation. They
certainly did not have money, so voting was the only way to impact and influence the political
and governmental system. They knew that it was only through voting that they would be able
to receive basic services such as a bus to pick up their children, maintain their property, get dirt
roads paved and elect persons that would get rid of Jim Crow laws. Now today, just as then,
knowledge is powerful and we need to use that power to vote to make a change. We must all
understand that America is an experiment in democracy. It is ever evolving but at the same time
repeating incidents from the past. Today, we are faced with the destructive power of knowledge,
as renewed efforts to deny or suppress the vote of people of color in the aftermath of the last
election were fraught with untrue and baseless claims of voter fraud that have led to widespread
and repressive voter suppression laws. We need to vote and do so in record numbers because
of our unfinished agenda including:
1. Equitable funding for Alabama A&M University
2. Equal resources for all schools no matter where a child lives
3. Enacting laws to ensure equal pay for equal work
4. Enacting laws that ensure an increased minimum wage and a guaranteed living wage
5. Fair laws to protect voters and expand, rather than limit, voter participation
6. Repeal of unfair laws that incarcerate African Americans, particularly men

How can we change this? We can do this through our call to action to vote--by voting not only
in the presidential elections but every election at every level such as: mayors and council persons,
school boards, governors, state legislators, members of congress. So my charge to you, is to
register to vote and be certain to exercise your vote in every election.

I encourage you to use this “Bulldog Declassified Resource” so that you will be knowledgeable of
why voting is important. The future is in your hands!! Go Bulldogs!!!

Abbiegail Hugine, First Lady

Alabama A&M University

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