In an unprecedented move on 27th February, the House of Lords witnessed a historic gathering of Black Christian Leaders hosted by the National Church Leaders Forum (NCLF) and Operation Black Vote’s Lord Simon Woolley, a prominent figure in British politics.
Our guest speaker was the US civil rights activist, Rev Al Sharpton (pictured overleaf) addressed the gathering of church and civic leaders on the critical issue of voter registration.
The session commenced with Lord Woolley emphasising the importance of inclusivity and representation in the political landscape. He reiterated the urgent need for increased engagement and empowerment of Black Church leadership to come together and spread
the message that if we want to see policy change then every Black vote matters.
Amongst the attendees were key individuals such as Florence Eshalomi MP for Vauxhall and Shadow Minister for Democracy who underlined the increased awareness of voting
rights and that, particularly in this election year, our next vote is important. We also
heard from Baroness Sherlock OBE, Rev. Canon Christian Weaver CBE, Rev. Nims Obunge MBE, and Lee Jasper.
Rev. Sharpton shared that, as far back as the age of 12 whilst mentored by Rev. Jesse
Jackson, his political activism began with the association with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
He also drew similarities between the challenges being faced by the US and the UK Black communities.
Attendees received a copy of the revised and expanded second edition of ‘Black Church
Political Mobilisation – A Manifesto for Action’, launched in May 2023.
As the session drew to a close the speakers and meeting affirmed a unified commitment
to fostering a more inclusive approach to raising the ways to promote the national Black
vote.