Donald Trump and Joe Biden are both vying for African American voters, a group that generally supports Biden’s Democratic party.

Black women in South Carolina are credited with helping Biden lock up his party’s nomination in the primaries. Niambi Carter is a professor at Howard University.

"Black women I think really understand what’s at stake, and there’s an approach that Black women take to the vote which is that it doesn’t belong just to them, it’s about what can we do to stem the hurt in our communities," Howard University Professor Niambi Carter said.

Biden’s choice of Kamala Harris as Vice President, the first Asian and Black woman on a major party ticket, is helping drive enthusiasm with African American women.

African American woman generally turn out to vote at a higher rate than African American men. Long-time political activist Mark Thompson says Black women may help change that.

"Frankly, it’s Black women sometimes that get Black man out to Vote because so many of our households heed the voice of Black women. Black women have always held a special place in our families," Thompson said.

Black voter turnout was down 7% in 2016 when Hillary Clinton was the Democratic nominee, compared to the previous election with Obama at the top of the ticket.

Biden’s history as Vice President for Barack Obama, the first black U.S. President, is helping him with African American voters, while Trump is seen by many as a President who has stoked racial tensions. Activists say this has created a sense of urgency among many black voters.

Trump only won about 8% of the African American vote in 2016, but has been fighting for Black votes. At the Republican Convention African Americans had high-profile speaking slots.

Polls show Trump is unlikely to win a large percentage of Black voters, but peeling off even a few more African Americans votes than he did four years ago could swing a tight race.

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