Statement from NCBW in Response to President’s Controversial Video
Statement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
contactus@nc100bw.org
Primary: 404-390-3982
NCBW issued a statement in response to the President posting a video on his Truth Social platform depicting President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama as apes.
The National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., unequivocally condemns the dehumanizing comparison of Black people to apes. Such language is not accidental, nor is it harmless. It is rooted in racist and thoroughly disproven myths deliberately crafted to justify slavery, segregation, violence, and systemic oppression against Black people.
For generations, these false narratives were weaponized to deny our humanity, undermine our dignity, and rationalize injustice. They were used to excuse lynchings, codify discrimination, and perpetuate structural inequities that continue to impact our communities today. We must be clear: these comparisons are not merely offensive; they are dangerous. Dehumanization has historically been the first step toward discrimination and violence.
Anti-Blackness is a corrosive disease, one that distorts critical thinking and erodes basic human decency. When those entrusted with leadership engage in or tolerate such rhetoric, it reveals not only a failure of judgment but a failure of moral clarity. An administration that cannot recognize the humanity of all people cannot credibly claim to serve them.
As an organization committed to advocacy, equity, and the advancement of Black women and girls, we reject any rhetoric that seeks to diminish our humanity or distort truth. Science has long disproven the racist pseudo-theories that attempted to rank human worth by race. Yet the residue of those lies lingers when such comparisons are repeated.
We call upon leaders, institutions, and individuals to speak with integrity and to actively dismantle language and behaviors that perpetuate racial harm. Silence is not neutral. It is complicity.
The dignity of Black people is not negotiable. Our humanity is not up for debate. We will continue to stand firmly against racism in all its forms and to advocate for a society rooted in truth, respect, and justice.
Virginia W. Harris
National President
National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD ORIGINAL STATEMENT
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The National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Incorporated is a 45-year-old advocacy organization whose vision is that Black women and girls will live in a world where socio-economic inequity does not exist. Thus, we advocate on behalf of Black women and girls to promote leadership development and gender equity in the areas of health, education, and economic empowerment. As a voice for millions of Black women and girls in the United States, the Coalition believes in inclusion, respect, racial and social justice, integrity, accountability, and collaboration. For more information visit the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. at www.ncbw.org.
NCBW Mission: To advocate on behalf of Black women and girls to promote leadership development and gender equity in the areas of health, education and economic empowerment.
Tax-Exempt Status: NCBW is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization recognized as tax-exempt under the Internal Revenue Code of 1954.
