There are a few people everyone knows by their first name.
Tiger. Oprah. Julia.
This will be my first column that Julia (everybody called her that) — Congresswoman Julia Carson — doesn’t read.
Julia was a regular reader. If I wrote something she didn’t like, which sometimes happened, she didn’t hesitate to tell me about it.
Julia was honest, down-to-earth, blunt, brilliant and possessing a common touch. A rose in a fisted glove, Julia was one of the most brilliant, tough, intuitive politicians Indiana’s ever produced. Julia was born to politics, like a duck’s born to water. And she practiced street level retail politics like no one I’ve ever seen.
Julia’s strength was her ability to bond with people; with voters. They loved and adored her. Black folks, working class folks, working women, senior citizens all believed Julia was one of them. And deep down she was.
Julia wasn’t a country club Democrat, but a country Democrat. More comfortable in a greasy spoon than a board room; but able to handle both.
Julia was an exceptional political tactician with a virtuoso political mind.
Julia was the first and only politician I’ve dealt with in 33 years here, who understood the rules and regulations governing politicians and media.
In her state Legislature and Center Township Trustee days, Julia would remind me when her opponents would appear on air, “Now you know you’ve got to give me equal time.” And she’d call minutes after the opponent’s appearance.
Julia knew the rules. You’d be amazed how few of today’s politicians don’t.
The mostly white political consultants who advise Democrats have conned Democratic politicians into thinking these fancy consultants know how to reach and motivate Black voters. They don’t. Julia did.
When it came to understanding what to say to motivate African-American voters, Julia was the best. She believed in the power of Black media and how to effectively use that media through bold print ads and saturation radio advertising.
Much has been made of Julia’s Center Township “machine.” The “machine” may have started out in Center Township, but the organization evolved and expanded as the Black community expanded.
Julia’s now countywide, not township-centric, organization was successful not just because of its “ground game” of loyalists and volunteers, but also because of the success of Julia’s air or media game. A game and strategy as potent and effective as a Peyton Manning two-minute offense.
Julia would always come to the radio station, not with a written script, or an overly produced commercial. The ad was inside her steel-trap mind. She knew what she wanted to say and how to say it. And Julia would deliver her message (usually in one take) in a warm personal way evoking great political communicators like Franklin Roosevelt.
Julia was a politician who demanded that the Democratic Party treat Black media and Black business fairly. If she felt Blacks were being slighted by her party, Julia would play bare knuckle politics to make sure Blacks were included.
An example: last October, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) banned media from a speech by Sen. Barack Obama. Livid that Black media was being excluded from hearing the country’s leading Black politician; Julia raised 10 tons of hell with the DCCC. I got an exclusive interview with Obama with Julia ready to escort me into the ballroom where Obama was speaking.
In her final months, I saw Julia’s strengths on display.
Last May, in a Walter Reed Hospital room, Julia, others and I were touring the hospital with the Indianapolis Colts just before they were honored at the White House.
Julia sat two feet from a solider wounded in Iraq. The solider was from Ohio; not her Indianapolis district. But though he wasn’t a constituent and despite her opposition to the war, Julia listened, near tears, to the pride of a young man who served his country with honor. Our men and women who wore the uniform of our country held a special place in Julia’s giant sized heart as she continually fought to improve benefits for those currently serving and those who have served.
Julia’s opposition to the Iraq war brought out hatred and vitriol towards her these past few years. Bile that didn’t help Julia’s health. Julia’s predecessor, Andy Jacobs, also opposed the war. But he’s an ex-Marine, so he didn’t catch the hell Julia, a Black woman, did for standing up against the war and the Patriot Act.
We forget that as Ground Zero was still smoking, Julia stood in the well of the House and opposed the Patriot Act. A gutsy, strong action. Pure Julia.
“How ‘ya doing Famous Amos?” was how she’d always greet me. And that’s what she said when I walked into her Methodist Hospital room Nov. 5th for an interview.
While I didn’t know how seriously ill she was, Julia did. And deep down, we both probably knew this was our last meeting. It was the first election since her political career began where she was on the sidelines. Julia wanted to talk to her community, through me, to say what she’s said every election about why folks should vote.
Her voice might have been weak that day, but her mind and words were strong. And at the end, her words to me, “You have always been a very positive force in my life and I’ll be forever grateful for you,” was her way of telling me goodbye.
There are several men and women preparing now to vie for the privilege of succeeding Julia in Congress. But it’s gonna be difficult to succeed someone who was unique.
Indianapolis bonded with Julia and Julia bonded with Indianapolis. It was a bond formed by a daughter of a teen mother who grew up in poverty but didn’t let that dash her dreams. A bond formed by serving Indianapolis in the Legislature, as township trustee and finally in the United States Congress.
Julia ranks with the giants of Indianapolis’ African-American community and with the giants of Indianapolis overall.
As the community and nation gather to celebrate Julia’s life Friday and Saturday, Julia delivered her own epitaph. The final words of our interview were “I just hope that young people remember to listen to the positive side of politics.”
At the end, Julia always thought of others.
On behalf of a grateful community, thanks to Julia’s family for sharing her with Indianapolis. Your pain is great today, but the morning comes. And know that from today, everytime the sun shines, it’s coming from Julia, smiling her smile, sitting at God’s right hand in heaven.
Julia, thank you. You’ve earned your rest…
Amos Brown’s opinions are not necessarily those of the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. You can contact him at (317) 221-0915 or by e-mail at ACBROWN@AOL.COM.
