The result has been consistent neglect and the latest pandemic scourge has been no different.

Black Chicagoans account for half of all coronavirus cases in the city and more than 70% of deaths, despite making up 30% of the population. Other cities with large black populations, including Detroit, Milwaukee, New Orleans and New York, have become coronavirus hotspots.
— BBC, 4/7/20

Had those in charge of those metropolitan areas been Republican, they would be household names Democrats and their media would keep immersed in the public conversation. But as we’re talking about blacks in Democrat-controlled areas, some review is in order.

ILLINOIS

Governor J. B. Pritzker (D)
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D)

As of 5 April, 1,824 out of Chicago’s 4,680 confirmed Covid-19 cases were black residents, said city officials on Monday. That compared with 847 white, 478 Hispanic and 126 Asian Chicagoans. Chicago has seen a total of 98 deaths as of Sunday, with 72% of them black residents.

While lamenting the fate of the black community, some politicians acted like the Coronavirus wouldn’t never stick to them.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot defends getting a haircut amid coronavirus outbreak, says stylist wore ‘a mask and gloves’
Chicago library employees protest Lightfoot’s decision to keep all 80 libraries open during pandemic
Wife of Illinois mayor cited for violating stay-at-home order after attending bar party, police say

MICHIGAN

Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D)
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan (D)

In Michigan, African Americans make up 14% of the population, but they account for 33% of the coronavirus cases and 41% of deaths, figures from the state health department showed on Monday. Detroit, Michigan, is about 80% black, and the city together with its surrounding suburbs accounts for around 80% of confirmed coronavirus cases.

At one point it was all about public anti-Trump #resist imagery…

Michigan governor threatens doctors who prescribe hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19

… until reality hit home.

Gov. Whitmer reverses course on coronavirus drugs, is now asking feds for hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine
Detroit Rep. Karen Whitsett says hydroxychloroquine, Trump helped save her life amid COVID-19 fight
Duggan urges those with fever to stay away from City Hall

WISCONSIN

Governor Tony Evers (D)
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett (D)

A similar disparity has emerged in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, one of the most segregated cities in the US.

A Democrat “segregated” city. Some things never change.

African Americans made up almost half of Milwaukee County’s nearly 1,000 cases as of last Friday and 81% of its 27 deaths, despite black people accounting for 26% of the population there, according to a study by ProPublica.

Politicians on both sides of the aisle played political games with public safety.

Union criticizes Barrett after city waited eight days to tell city workers of coronavirus case
Gov. Tony Evers: ‘We will have an election on April 7’
Federal judge blisters Gov. Tony Evers and GOP lawmakers for not delaying Wisconsin’s election

LOUISIANA

Governor John Bel Edwards (D)
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell (D)

Some 40% of Louisiana’s coronavirus deaths have occurred in the New Orleans area, where the majority of residents are black. Health officials have previously said the Big Easy’s residents suffer from rates of obesity, diabetes and hypertension that are higher than the national average, making them more vulnerable to Covid-19.

As was the case during Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana Democrats blew off early warnings and blamed a Republican president for the aftermath of their hesitation.

Cantrell defends Carnival season as coronavirus numbers rise
Cantrell: New Orleans would have called off Mardi Gras if coronavirus ‘red flags’ were raised

NEW YORK

Governor Andrew Cuomo (D)
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D)

Despite neither the BBC or ProPublica mentioning black numbers in New York City, mounting public pressure produced results.

Latino and black residents in New York City have higher mortality rates from coronavirus, according to preliminary numbers released by the city on Wednesday morning. The early data shows that of those who have died from coronavirus in the city, 34 percent were Latino residents, while 28 percent were blacks.
— Gothamist, 4/8/20

Many states and organizations that are gathering racial data are still suffering from gaps in the reporting.

Meanwhile, all was not rosy in The Big Apple.

The Missteps Of Mayor Bill De Blasio’s Coronavirus Response
De Blasio Stays Firm on Keeping N.Y.C. Schools Open as Outbreak Spreads
Coronavirus in New York: As deaths and cases soar, should NY leaders have acted sooner?
How New York City’s Emergency Ventilator Stockpile Ended Up on the Auction Block
De Blasio’s senior staff in near revolt over his coronavirus response

Democrats have proven over most of their history that they could give a rip about black people. Black children are disproportionately aborted, have the worse public education in the nation while being denied proven alternatives, Democrat politicians tolerate neighborhood shootings every weekend that would make national news had they occured in a white neighborhood. Blacks are only important when it comes time to keep Democrats in positions of power and now that President Trump has made near-historic inroads for the black vote, pointing to a Republican bogeyman is right out of the ol’ playbook.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has called for coronavirus reparations for minorities, claiming higher numbers of COVID-19 fatalities in low-income communities stems from underlying inequality.

“COVID deaths are disproportionately spiking in Black + Brown communities,” Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) tweeted to her 6 million followers on Friday morning. “Why? Because the chronic toll of redlining, environmental racism, wealth gap, etc. ARE underlying health conditions,” the Bronx-born lawmaker added.
— New York Post, 4/3/20

And just whose fault is that?