In the Capital of the Confederacy no less. Virginia, the birthplace of Dr. William Ferguson Reid. Senator Bernie Sanders campaign office in Virginia is 200 ft. from the place Dr. Reid was born. It’s across the street from where Dr. Reid practiced medicine.
Eight blocks from where Dr. Reid grew up, Senator Bernie Sanders is speaking at a movie theater that had a special section for Dr. Reid and other people of colour back in his day. Blacks had to sit in the balcony which was called the “Crows Nest”.
I’m hoping Bernie Sanders will give Dr. Reid a special shout out, at this historic place, in this historic time, especially during Black History Month.
I hope Senator Sanders acknowledges all the work Dr. Reid has done. Dr. Reid was out registering Black voters when there were poll taxes, literacy tests, and roads that were dangerous for a Black man to drive down at night.
In 1967 Dr. Reid integrated and broke the colour barrier in the Virginia Legislature when he was elected as a Delegate. There hadn’t been any people of colour in the Legislature since Reconstruction, 1890. More than 50 years later there are 20 Black Legislators out of 140. Dr. Reid has been working very hard for that.
I hope Senator Sanders talks about Dr. Reid’s work as a doctor where he’s been advocating for Medicare for all since the 1960’s and 1970’s. Dr. Reid knows the current system is just profiting itself and no one should profit from sickness.
Dr. Reid is no stranger to Democratic Socialism, he’s from a state that calls itself a “Commonwealth”, which means we’re all in it together. The fire department, police department, the FAA, running water, electricity, highway, they are all there for the common good. Dr. Reid was the first Black surgeon in a Mash unit in a Democratic Socialist organization, the United States Navy. He was the first Black doctor to work in the a Democratic Socialist hospital, Bethesda Naval Hospital. He currently receives his medical care from a Democratic Socialist organization, the VHA, the largest integrated health care system in the United States.
Some folks accuse Senator Sanders of not having a connection to Black people. He was the first presidential candidate to sign onto 90for90 in both 2016 and 2020. I hope he talks about that.