Donald Trump’s unsubstantiated claim that migrants threaten the availability of “Black jobs” during the first presidential debate has Black people, including members of Congress, asking: what is a Black job?
“They’re taking Black jobs and they’re taking Hispanic jobs. And you haven’t seen it yet, but you’re going to see something that’s going to be the worst in our history,” Trump said on Thursday night.
The former president’s comment was seemingly an attempt to expand his political reach to more communities of color through his commonly used anti-immigration rhetoric. Enacting strict immigration policies is one of the cornerstones of the former president’s campaign.
But his vague classification of jobs as exclusive to Black or Hispanic people did not land well.
“I’m still trying to figure out what a Black job is,” MSNBC host Symone Sanders-Townsend said on All In With Chris Hayes on Friday.
“Am I at my Black job right now? I don’t know.”
“I’m just happy to be here at my good Black job,” CNN news anchor Victor Blackwell said on his show Saturday morning before criticizing the “bizarre riff”.
Black leaders in Congress responded to Trump’s comment by sharing photos of themselves working at their “Black jobs”.
Representative Stacey Plaskett of the US Virgin Islands shared a photo of her and her colleagues working, “another day in Congress doing our ‘Black jobs.’”
Similarly, Rep. Gwen Moore of Wisconsin shared a photo of herself writing, “Hello from my office at my Black job!”
Justin Jones, a Tennessee state representative and member of the “Tennessee Three”, Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett and Ohio Rep. Shontel Brown, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, and more all made similar posts.
The posts inspired people working in various sectors like finance, education, healthcare, entertainment, engineering, law and more to share photos of themselves working at their “Black jobs”.
“There is no such thing as a “Black job”,” the NAACP said in a debate response statement.“Provided the opportunity, Black Americans excel across industries and professions.”
“We need candidates who are going to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion, not attempt to mischaracterize Black workers as anything but American workers,” the statement continued.