Georgia Black Women Make History
I love a good story, and the Black women of Georgia provided it on Tuesday night.
Keisha Lance Bottoms made history by becoming the first Black woman elected governor of an American state. Seven other Black women also won statewide races, including attorney general, secretary of state, labor commissioner, insurance commissioner, agriculture commissioner, state school superintendent, and a seat on the Public Service Commission.
Eight women. Eight victories. And a whole lot of history made in one election.
But the more I learned about these victories, the more I realized this story began long before Tuesday night. It's a story about women who decided they wanted a greater say in how their state was run, and made it happen.
For decades, Black women in Georgia have done the hard work of politics, usually behind the scenes, bringing men to power. They registered voters, knocked on doors, organized neighborhoods, helped people understand their voting rights, and even encouraged women to run for office.
When elections didn't go their way and funding disappeared, they tirelessly continued to build relationships and grow organizations, including in rural areas, deepening their roots in communities across the state.
Their goal was singular: get more people involved and make sure their voices were heard.
By the time the 2026 election arrived, Black women were poised to run for offices across Georgia, being part of a much larger network of coalitions immersed in building voter participation. They had experience, qualifications, and their own ideas about what needed to change.
The results were record-breaking. More than 4.2 million Georgians cast ballots in this midterm election, which included nearly 1.14 million Black voters. The stunning victories demonstrate what happens when more citizens participate in the political process. Georgia’s voters spoke loud and clear.
Still, victory never comes easy. Keisha Lance Bottoms faced a tremendous financial disadvantage against her Republican opponent, billionaire Rick Jackson, yet she prevailed. As she told supporters on election night, no amount of money could overcome the power of the people.
There’s something important for all of us to take from this story.
Change takes time, hard work, and a fighting spirit. These women learned how the system works. They organized their communities, ran for office, and kept going after many failed attempts.
And because of them, somewhere in Georgia, there are young girls who watched Tuesday's results and saw something they may never have imagined before. They saw a Black woman become governor. They saw women take charge of offices that had never been led by women like them.
What an exciting thing to see. Women doing it for themselves and making history.
There's still plenty of work ahead for these newly elected officials. Winning the election is only the beginning. But the women who helped make these victories possible have already shown us what can happen when we work together, believe in our own abilities, and refuse to give up.
Congratulations to all of these women. It’s been a long time coming. May they achieve their goal of restoring the American dream to all.
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Wonderland
I’m taking a deep breath before I offer my response. Let me first say, I agree with you. It’s incredibly wonderful to see a woman, and a black woman at that make such a hit especially in a state like Georgia. But, in my opinion, I think black and white descriptions of people should be over. I hate when I hear people described as black and white. I understand where the pride is coming from, but I feel like we should end it. We’ve already had a black President. Great. We are all equal. But evidently we are not. The reminder is constantly in our face. I personally am tired of it. Byron Donalds is the first black governor of Florida. Does that not count because he’s a conservative? Let’s stop talking black, white, male, female. Human beings are all the same. Who is ready to join me?
Homeless Valley
You really sound like Martin Luther King, Jr. who said we shouldn't judge people by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I fully agree with that. As a woman, there are many (mainly men) who won't ever consider me equal in any way, shape, or form, but at least so many are making progress in that direction, and this election proves it.
Slipstream
I understand what you're saying, and I would love nothing more than to live in a country where the color of our skin and whether we're male or female is insignificant. But we're not there yet.
I wanted to honor these women, recognizing that, being both female and Black in a southern state, they’ve had to overcome immense obstacles to rise into their positions, and their achievements give women of any color hope for themselves and their daughters. And Bryon Donalds, as a Black man, has every right to be just as proud as the Georgia women since he, too, had obstacles to overcome.
In an ideal world, our gender, our race, where we come from, or whether we are conservative or not wouldn’t factor into how we are treated by others. So, like you, I look forward to that day.
Thanks for reading my article; I appreciate your comments.
Evangel
I think most people are tired of prejudice and would love to join you. At the same time, historically, people have been biased toward others, and we can read all about it in the Bible, or we can look at the way in which the Trump administration stripped Black people off the face of government websites and countless buildings where they were recognized among their white counterparts. Simultaneously, Hegseth rid the military of as many of Blacks and women as possible. Even Susie Wiles was fired yesterday, the last of the women standing, replaced by the biggest bigot of all, Stephen Miller.
Racism in our country is like a cancer that hides in remission and resurfaces with a vengeance. It has killed too many and left deep wounds and scars. In a perfect world, we would all be color blind and find equal value in men and women. Yes, Obama became president, but no woman has. Even Nikki Haley failed against the aging, ailing Trump.
We can all pray for equality and the end of prejudice. But this administration took us backward. These Black women fought back and won. It's a victory many won't applaud, but many will. It's the arc bending toward justice once more.
You see a better future, you want to exist in that future, but you're ahead of that time. It will take a majority to join you in that future to bring it to fruition, and I will be the first to join you. That's a goal we can all set our minds to, but it also means doing our part to change the hearts and minds of those who still feel more comfortable in a world of hierarchies where men and white populations are entitled to more power than others.