The Blacker the Berry: The Black Church, Linked Fate, Marginalization, and the Electability of Black Candidates

Abstract

In my project, I explore the role of the black utility heuristic and advanced marginalization within the black community in the twenty-first century, specifically focusing on the black electorate. The black utility heuristic, also known as linked fate, indicates that black Americans often vote with the intention to do what is best for the black community as a whole. In other words, blackness provides a particular political lens which shapes the way black Americans think about and evaluate political issues and candidates. Simultaneously, advanced marginalization states that within a marginalized group, there will be elite members who rise to power and often interact with dominant groups. However, these elite members often overlook intersectional identities, which can lead to further marginalization within their already marginalized group. Accordingly, I explore how only a subset of black interests come to be identified as relevant and important while issues facing the most marginal members are often forgotten. To do so, I address the following questions: How can a black utility heuristic exist if all black interests are not being considered? Does the black utility heuristic represent all black Americans or only those whose identities and values closely align with dominant culture? Lastly, I explore the social underpinnings that influence black interests. Historically, the Black Church has served as a sociopolitical mecca for the black community thus emphasizing the importance of Christianity and its practices. Furthermore, I explore how both advanced marginalization and linked fate occur in the Black Church. Through the lens of advanced marginalization, I explore the inclusivity of the black utility heuristic. Using religious and sexuality-based cues, I test the boundaries and limitations of linked fate when black Americans must evaluate between two black candidates. Ultimately, I find that support for black candidates who promote black interests decrease significantly when their religion and sexuality differ from norms of Christianity and heterosexuality. Thus, black candidates from disadvantaged subgroups are often vilified based on aspects of their identity rather than on key policy issues that matter most to the community.