Durham Black PAC seeks to strengthen city’s Black political power
- DCABP PAC
- Jan 9
- 2 min read
Published Wednesday, January 7, 2026
by Kylie Marsh
DURHAM – Many Durham political action committees dedicate themselves to racial equity and economic prosperity for all, but how many can prove their track record?
Donald Hughes is an East Durham native. Hughes was introduced to civic engagement both in the home and at his school, Eastway Elementary. There, former city council member Cynthia Brown spoke to students about the importance of being politically involved. At home, Hughes’ mother, Durham activist and former school board member Jackie Wagstaff, reinforced this principle.
“She encouraged us to use our voices to advocate for those things in our community that we wanted to see improved,” Hughes said of Brown.
As fourth graders, Hughes and his classmates spoke to council members about the lack of safety and security in their community and around their school, which was across from the Few Gardens housing project. Hughes said there wasn’t a stoplight at the intersection, and students witnessed open drug activity through the school’s windows.
Hughes and other Black residents formed the Durham Black PAC a year ago. He said the PAC is comprised of community members who have a desire to see that Black political power in Durham is strengthened in a way that is “unapologetic.” These policy priorities include environmental justice, affordable housing, safe neighborhoods, and connecting youth to employment opportunities.
“One of the questions that the Black PAC always asks is, when folks tout their successes as elected officials in Durham, how do the metrics bear out that success?” Hughes said. “Do we see more Black people as homeowners, or are more Black people able to afford to rent in this community? Do we see communities that are largely minority less impacted by environmental harms than they previously were? And I really think the answer to a lot of those questions is no.”
Other historically established Durham PACs have not presented candidates that improved quality of life for Black residents, Hughes argues. “They say, ‘hey, we're the progressives, or we're this group that represents Black folks.’ But when do we start to stop and take stock and say, ‘well, what are the results?’”
Hughes points toward resources for communities that are facing strains due to the level of gentrification as priorities for the Black PAC. The group also wants to ensure Durham’s youth have connections to job training opportunities, and not just for the high achievers.
“Those opportunities have to make their way to people who live in public housing, to young people who may even be homeless, people who may have been justice involved at some point,” he said.
Hughes said the demographics other PACs mobilize are largely non-Black, and the ones that are African American may not want to “ruffle feathers” to maintain their political power.
Even so, there are community members raising their voices in opposition to the public officials in Durham, whether it be on social media or in person. They don’t need to wait for the city’s leaders to come to them.
“You have to create an environment that’s welcoming,” Hughes said. “If you criminalize, demonize or trespass them, then they’re never going to be engaged. Maybe that’s part of the plan.”
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