Virginia State University News October 13, 2020 John Mercer Langston Institute for African American Political Leadership ABOUT THE JMLI The John Mercer Langston Institute for African American Political Leadership (JMLI) at Virginia State University was created to honor the legacy of John Mercer Langston, the first African American Congressional Representative from Virginia and first President of Virginia State University. JLMI's mission seeks to assess, develop, and empower African American political leadership in the Commonwealth of Virginia through innovative programming, research and advocacy. The institute strives to promote an increased understanding of the historical significance, unique role and challenges faced by African American political leaders. A highlight of JLMI's programming is the development and engagement of collegiate scholars who are interested in activism and pursuing careers in political science and public administration. The initial activity of the John Mercer Langston Institute for African American Political Leadership is a poll to assess and evaluate the perceptions of Black Virginia voters. Although studies have analyzed Black voter registration and participation in local, state, and federal elections, there has been little work published in today's current climate of social unrest and broad calls for justice, equity, and accountability. In the aftermath of the deaths George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Marcus Peters to name a few, and the polarizing 2020 presidential election, the beliefs and impact of Black voters throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia must be heard. In this context, this study analyzes at the viewpoints of Black voters in Virginia during the current climate of our nation. Please take a moment to take our poll by clicking here<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1S5T4qeM8T7OGKQI9im-buccuwsUj7HzS5WlV4TOYRZ8/edit>. For additional information contact: Dr. Wes J. Bellamy, Interim Chair Department of Political Science and Public Administration wbellamy@vsu.edu<mailto:wbellamy@vsu.edu> (804) 524-5363 SANDRA M. PHOENIX HBCU Library Alliance Executive Director Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library 111 James P. Brawley Drive SW Atlanta GA 30314 404-978-2118 (office) 404-702-5854 (cell) http://www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> Honor the ancestors, honor the children and those yet to come. Building Capacity for Humanities Special Collections at HBCUs - Become an ally and partner with us to protect, preserve and share a more authentic record of American history. Follow this link http://hbculibraries.org/humanities-2019.html for more information. Follow this link http://hbculibraries.org/ and click on the Donate Now button to invest in this project. Your support is appreciated. Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/hbculibraryalliance1/ and Twitter at https://twitter.com/HBCULibAlliance Check out "PULSE!" The HBCU Library Alliance's News Source! - https://hbculibraryalliance.wordpress.com/