As thousands prepare to attend the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s (CBCF) Annual Legislative Conference in Washington next month, Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-SC) said the future of Black political leadership will be shaped beyond the convention center.
“For the last 12 years I have been running the Clyburn Program,” Clyburn told the Washington Informer. “Rep. Bennie Thompson (D) is doing the same thing in Mississippi. All things don’t have to be done in Washington, D.C. I wish we would focus on what’s real. We are doing it.”
The South Carolina representative explained that he regularly meets with young people through the James E. Clyburn Political Fellowship, a leadership initiative that prepares participants for careers in political campaigns, local government, and public policy. The fellowship focuses on organizing, communications, and governance, while building a network of future public servants.
“We have monthly meetings,” Clyburn said. “I meet with the youth every day.”
This discussion precedes the CBCF’s 50th Annual Legislative Conference, which takes place from Sept. 16-20 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. The event, with the 2026 theme “Rooted, Ready, and Rising.” convenes lawmakers, advocates, and community leaders to address public policy, economic opportunity, health care, education, and voting rights.
However, Clyburn believes this work extends far beyond the ALC— addressing nationwide challenges, from healthcare to voting rights.
“The most effective tool is direct community engagement,” he said. “I do not invest in television advertising and have not run a TV ad in 30 years. Instead, I focus on Black radio, robocalls, weekly videos, and Black newspapers. Black people do not own TV stations.”
Now in his 17th term representing South Carolina’s 6th Congressional District, Clyburn has held several top leadership roles in the House, including Majority Whip, and is the first African American to serve multiple terms in that position.
When asked about his legacy, Clyburn focused not on his leadership roles but on his latest book, “The First Eight,” which chronicles the stories of the first eight African Americans elected to Congress from South Carolina.
“The book is about the first eight African Americans to serve in Congress from South Carolina,” he said. “There are 95 years between number eight and yours truly, number nine.”
A District resident who worked on the Hill for more than 30 years, Lorraine C. Miller emphasized the importance of “The First Eight” after a November 2025 discussion about the book.
“[Clyburn] took a slice of not just South Carolina history, but American history,” Miller told The Washington Informer last year. “ He turned it into a great story of service.”
Considering the past and the nation’s current political challenges, the longtime congressman noted that history shows the nation’s direction is never fixed.
“History has a rhythm to it,” he said. “A lot of people say it may not repeat itself, but it rhymes. History repeats itself.”
He cited Reconstruction, the Brown v. Board of Education decision, and the elections of Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden as examples of the nation’s ongoing political shifts.
“The country is always moving,” Clyburn said. “Sometimes to the left and sometimes to the right. The question is, are we learning lessons from that history? Or are we going to run the risk of repeating that history?”
Addressing National Challenges
As the nation navigates the second Trump administration, the South Carolina congressman identified voting rights, housing, health care, education, and energy costs as immediate concerns.
“Recent research shows the average age of first-time homebuyers is now 42,” he said. “At that age, I was paying off my first mortgage. Now, people must wait until 42 before they can afford to buy a home.”
Clyburn hopes that U.S. citizens, particularly African Americans, will get more politically engaged to work toward change. He argued that excessive attention is given to celebrity voices rather than to grassroots organizing within Black communities.
“We, as Black folk, can’t keep beating up on ourselves,” Clyburn said. “These celebrities, rappers, who want to support other folk, those who said dumb things like ‘Kamala isn’t really Black,’ never considered that Barack Obama has a white mother. The Black media needs to call these people out. Expose them. They are doing exactly what white folks want them.”
He also encouraged Black voters to stay engaged despite political frustration, emphasizing that election outcomes depend on voter participation.
“When the white vote turned out 71% two years ago, and the Black vote turned out 59%, you tell me whose fault that is,” he said. He later added that if Black turnout “had been 69%, [former Vice President Kamala Harris] would have won.”
His concerns arise as both major political parties face challenges with public perception. A CNN poll conducted from July 23 to July 27 found that 30% of Americans viewed the Democratic Party favorably, while 51% held an unfavorable opinion. The Republican Party received similar ratings, with 31% favorable and 52% unfavorable.
Clyburn also said he has long warned about Trump’s intentions, arguing that “he’s not planning to leave. He’s not planning to give up his office.” He also rejected comparisons between Trump and Adolf Hitler, saying instead, “Vladimir Putin is Hitler and Trump is Mussolini.”
He stated that these historical lessons should guide lawmakers if Democrats regain congressional majorities.
“Our top priority must be to make this country affordable,” Clyburn said. “The cost of living has become unsustainable in too many areas.”
The congressman also criticized the Supreme Court and expressed support for legislation to expand it.
“I’m all for us doing legislation that will allow us to expand the Supreme Court because the Supreme Court has gone rogue,” he said. “There’s no other way to look at it.”
He warned that recent court decisions on voting rights and birthright citizenship could have lasting effects on Black political representation.
“If you remember, my district was targeted,” Clyburn said. “South Carolina stood up and said we’re not going to do it. The next week Georgia followed suit.”
