By Karen Stokes

Congressman James Clyburn visited Milwaukee on Monday, where he met with local leaders and activists at the Milwaukee Civil Rights Community Meet and Greet, held at the African American Women’s Center, to talk about the importance of the 2024 election.

In an approximately 30-minute speech, Clyburndisplayed humor, wisdom,and experience, and reflected on losing three elections running for office.

“When I lost the third time a friend of mine said what are you going to do now, you just lost for the third time and you know what they say, three strikes and you’re out. I said to my friend, “That’s a baseball rule. Nobody lives their lives by baseball rules. If I had quit after losing the third time, I never would have become the number three guy in the U.S. Congress.”

“If something were to happen and you’re not victorious, don’t give up. Stay in the fight,” he said.

The message of the day was for voters to stay engaged, emphasizing that this is the most consequential election of our lives.

As a former history teacher, Clyburn provided an important lesson on how history can repeat itself.

“People say America has never been like this before, let them know it’s been like this before, it’s been like this when we first formed the country.

Representative Supreme Moore Omokunde and Congressman James Clyburn (Photo/Karen Stokes)

The Congressman quoted Thomas Payne in 1776, Payne who was not an American saw how Americans were plotting against each other. He wrote a pamphlet called ‘The American Crisis’ and wrote, “THESE are the times that try men’s souls: The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country but he that stands it NOW, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. . . .”

“This is going to be a hard conflict,” Clyburn explained. “But we can’t be summer soldiers, we can’t be sunshine patriots that run from the fight when the storm comes, we have to be soldiers and fight, we cannot sit aside.”

Citing an example of how history can repeat itself. Clyburn explained that in 1876, the election got thrown to the House of Representatives because at that time, to win the presidency you needed 185 votes in the electoral college. When the election was over, a man named Samuel Tilden from New York had 184 votes, one vote short.

Local leaders and activists at the Milwaukee Civil Rights meet-and-greet (Photo/Karen Stokes)

Rutherford B. Hayes, from Ohio, had 165 votes, the election then went to the House of Representatives, the House appointed a committee of 15 people and the committee met with both candidates. Hayes told them if you give me these votes, I’ll bring an end to Reconstruction. I’ll remove all federal troops, I’ll leave the Negro to your devices. The committee voted 8-7 giving 20 votes to Hayes. Hayes went from 165 to 185 making him president of the United States by 1 vote. One vote brought an end to Reconstruction, one vote started Jim Crow.

“This is what they were trying to do on January 6, 2021, send the election to the House of Representatives, so they would have a chance of keeping Trump,” said Clyburn. “Don’t certify the vote, send it back to the states and we’ll take care of it from there, that’s what they were trying to do.”

The question was asked if you were better off than four years ago? Businesses were shut down four years ago, schools were closed, people were sick and dying, people were watching their loved ones expire, and Trump suggested injecting bleach as a solution. That’s the kind of leadership he offered. That’s how he left the country.

Representative Kalan Haywood (Photo/Karen Stokes)

“Thanks to the work Joe Biden did like The Rescue Plan, which reopened businesses so people could go back to work, reopened schools, and lifted children out of poverty, that plan passed without a single Republican vote, and he didn’t stop there.”

Clyburn shared that he keeps two books by his bedside: the Bible and McCullough’s biography. He studies both religiously. From the Bible, he highlighted an important lesson: “Faith without works is dead.”

The Congressman’s closing remarks were “If we sit on the sidelines and don’t get out to vote we can’t make a difference. Get involved, let’s make sure we win this election.”