Civic education provides Americans with the information we need to become well-informed citizens....
When History is Written About the Next Four Years, What Will it Say About You?
On January 20, 2025, the world will come together to acknowledge the undeniable impact one individual has had on the American way of life. Whether we like it or not, the man is a changemaker--a truly transformative figure, who managed to split American history into distinct periods: before him and after him.
Of course, the man I'm talking about is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr! Did you have someone else in mind?
Each year, we celebrate Dr. King and the countless others during the Civil Rights Movement who bravely stood up for what they believed in against seemingly insurmountable odds. When the government and politicians were against them, they organized their communities and found ways to make their voices heard. They managed to change laws, hearts, and minds at a time when most people thought this would be impossible.
In 2025, Dr. King's holiday is more important than ever. For those awaiting Donald Trump's Presidential Inauguration with feelings of suspicion, anger, and trepidation, it should be a reminder that nothing is impossible when ordinary people are willing to stand up for what they believe in. If we really believe in democracy and in America, then we have no choice but to get organized, roll up our sleeves, and get to work over the next four years.
Rediscover Your Spark
I challenge you to do something unexpected on the 20th: Push aside all of the negativity for a moment, close your eyes, take a deep breath, and try to remember your SPARK. Remember the moment that ignited your passion for democracy and fueled your civic-mindedness. Remember why you love this country so damn much!
I remember my spark vividly. I was eight years old when it happened...
The spark that ignited my lifelong passion for politics came while watching television with my family one night. It was the summer of 1992. My big brown eyes were wide with excitement as I plopped down on the carpet in front of the couch. It was late, but I had so much sugar that day that sleep was the last thing on my mind. The show was starting. I loudly shushed everyone to make sure they wouldn’t ruin my favorite part. “Here it comes,” I whispered to myself. Then, in perfect unison with the announcer, I yelled, “It’s the Arsenioooooooo Hall Show!” We all laughed and settled in to watch the show.
That particular night, a young presidential candidate named Bill Clinton was the special guest. My parents were small business owners and community leaders who paid close attention to politics, so I remembered hearing his name around our house. Nothing I heard, however, prepared me for the saxophone-playing, sunglass-wearing, story-telling jokester that I saw that night. I was mesmerized! Until then, I only thought of politics as the boring obsession of old people who never talked about anything I could understand. That night, however, I realized how wrong I was. Clinton had found a way to make politics seem exciting, engaging, and fun, and I was hooked. I insisted on going to the polls with my mom on Election Day so I could personally press the voting machine button next to his name. I had been going to vote with my parents for as long as I could remember, but this was the first time that I really understood what it meant. It was the first year I could identify the candidate we were going to vote for and explain why I wanted him to win.
Clinton pulled off a surprising victory that year, which cemented the experience as a defining moment in my life. That sounds dramatic, but Clinton's appearance on The Arsenio Hall Show really did spark my interest in politics, and his victory taught me about the power of voting. Knowing that regular people like my mom and I helped elect the most powerful person in the world made me feel like a superhero! That feeling stayed with me throughout my life, inspiring me to study and later teach political science, serve as an election worker in multiple states, and write about politics and government for a living.
I guess you can call this my political origin story.
Over the years, I’ve heard a few similar origin stories from writers, teachers, and politicians I know. Key events like Shirley Chisolm's 1972 run for the Democratic presidential nomination, Ronald Reagan’s address to schoolchildren after the 1986 Challenger explosion, and Barack Obama’s 2008 victory speech created a similar spark for them. What happened to spark the fire in you?
Seize This Moment
Like millions of you across America, the 2016 Presidential Election motivated me to get more engaged in the political process. I was already a professor of Political Science and African American Studies at the College of Charleston, but the chaos and vitriol surrounding the election pushed me to roll up my sleeves and find a more hands-on way to get involved. Instead of volunteering for a candidate or political party, I decided to become a county election worker. For several weeks before the election, I answered questions about voting and registering to vote for thousands of local citizens. This gave me the unique opportunity to speak directly with members of my community from all walks of life. I spoke with Democrats, Republicans, young people, old people, people who had voted in every election they were eligible for, and people who were trying to vote for the very first time.
I learned a few things from this experience:
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Election worker training taught me more about the way elections are conducted in my state than I ever could have learned in a classroom.
In fact, I believe EVERY American voter should be required to take this training! We should all have to work at least one election in our communities, just like we all have to do jury duty. This would immediately kill most of the conspiracy theories about voting and ballot counting.
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Even in 2016, it was clear that civics knowledge and trust in government were both dangerously low.
Democrats and Republicans I spoke with from various backgrounds and walks of life were seriously uninformed about the way elections work and were deeply suspicious of election workers and other government officials. For example, citizens who missed voter registration deadlines believed "the other side" had somehow prevented them from voting. Some voters flat out asked me if I planned to throw their votes away. Others wanted to verify that deceased family members’ names had not been used to cast ballots. People invented conspiracy theories about everything from the order that political parties and candidates were listed on the ballot to the colors of the “I Voted” stickers.
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I decided to take action! Ironically, my experience during the 2016 election is what determined my current path.
I became a civic education advocate because I saw the low levels of trust and civics knowledge in my community and decided to try to make a difference. I started teaching American Government courses at the College of Charleston. I continued working elections (in South Carolina in 2018 and in Michigan in 2020 and 2024). I created an organization and website to share information about government and politics with as many people as possible. I even wrote a book about civic education that I'm trying to get published! (If you know an interested literary agent, tell them to contact me 😊)
What I'm saying is ... You may be angry. You may be worried about what's coming over the next four years. Some of you may even be spiraling. But if we want to build a better future, we have to start NOW ... when it's hard ... when others think it's hopeless. Let those feelings fuel you to move forward! We all need to be vigilant over the next four years, and we need to stay engaged. Join an organization, start a group in your community, write a book, think about running for office! Find a way to seize this moment and turn it into your next spark.
Focus on Community
We often think of America in terms of its ideals (democracy, liberty, etc.), but we should also remember that America is much more than that. America is a community of nearly 350 million people who each have hopes and dreams for a brighter future. We just have very, very, very different ideas about what that future should look like and how we should get there. I hate to have to be the one to point this out guys, but this is why we have elections--as upsetting as they can sometimes be.
The truth is, we all need to start putting in the groundwork now to prepare for the next election. I'm not talking about 2028, though, I'm talking about 2026. In 2026, governors, secretaries of state, attorneys general, and state legislators across the country will be on the ballot. Make sure you get involved, do your research, and VOTE! These are the folks who will make the rules for your state's elections in 2028. They are also the politicians who will do the most to affect your daily lives over the next few years.
The more you learn about and engage with government, the more you will begin to appreciate the rights and responsibilities of American citizenship. Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines citizenship as “the quality of an individual’s response to membership in a community.” What an interesting way to think about it!
If American society is our community, then according to this definition, our membership (or citizenship) requires a response. We are all responding to the incoming Administration in our own ways. My response is doing what I do best: educating others. What will your response be?
Join the Civics for All community! We'll discuss the best path for moving America forward in future posts. Leave a comment below. I want to hear your thoughts!
