Remembering When Cotton was King and Blacks Enduring Quest for Economic Justice

By S.E. Williams, Black Voice News

March 19 marked the second anniversary of Governor Gavin Newsom’s shuttering of the state to protect the health of Californians by attempting to control the spread and minimize the unprecedented impact of COVID-19.

It has been a harrowing two years since, as we collectively navigated a once in a century public health crisis.

I find it strangely ironic that second anniversaries are traditionally marked with a gift of cotton, symbolizing the creation of something strong and enduring. I believe this is our collective desire regarding how we move forward in this (hopefully) post pandemic era.

Yet, as I reflected on cotton as symbolic of second anniversaries, I don’t think it is an exaggeration to acknowledge that African-Americans have a complicated history with this textile that began with the theft of Black labor that made cotton “king” and foundational to the growth of America’s cotton industry and its impact on expanding the nation’s economy. Despite the wealth it built for the country, it is well recorded that Blacks were denied the benefits of their labor for generations and continue to suffer the consequences of Black people trapped in poverty with limited exit routes. 

This, among other systemic and institutional issues related to racism, left the Black community extremely vulnerable to the ravages of COVID-19. This vulnerability collided with the raw brutality of police use of force (in relation to George Floyd) at a time when the nation was paying attention and reignited a movement for systemic change aimed at righting generations of historical wrongs.

Learn about the symbolism of cotton and the recognition of COVID-19’s unequal economic impact.

Read more about how COVID-19 has affected Black Americans and the relief measures that were blocked.

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