County Commissioner Sworn With A Black Power Fist & Malcolm X Book

If I had to guess, I would attribute the increase of Black women running for political office to the fact that we saw the election of Donald Trump and recognized it as a sign that it was time for us to engage politically by running for office.

Mariah Parker, of Athens, Georgia, won the seat for District 2 County Commissioner. Parker won the seat by 13 votes. And recently when she was sworn in on the steps of City Hall, she didn’t hide her Blackness.

She wore her hair in an afro reminiscent of Angela Davis. Instead of an extended, raised hand, she raised it in a fist. And she declined to be sworn in on the Bible, instead opting to use The Autobiography of Malcolm X, held by her mother, Mattie Parker.

And as you might assume from her swearing-in ceremony, Parker is concerned about social justice. On her website, she writes: “It’s time for a new vision for Athens, one where we finally address the poverty and discrimination that hold our community back.”

We know she’s going to do some big things and wish her the best. Check out the pictures and reactions to the moment on the following pages.