Baltimore’s Mayor Speaks Truth to Hate — and Wins

On an otherwise ordinary day, Mayor Brandon Scott received a voicemail that starkly mirrored the racial hostility that historically shadows Black leadership. In it, an anonymous caller unleashed relentless slurs, denouncing Scott as a “f—king n—-r wannabe thug a– gangster,” falsely accusing him of running Baltimore as a criminal enterprise. “Kill yourselves,” the caller concluded—a chilling crescendo of hate.

It was not the first time the mayor, a proud Black man leading a majority-Black city, had faced such vitriol. But this time, he chose to broadcast it—publishing the unfiltered recording across his platforms to drive home a point: “the hate only proves I’m doing my job.”“I am never going to be afraid to be a proud Black man,” he declared, his voice steady and resolute.

More Than a Message

Why go public with such a vile attack? For Scott, it was an act of defiance—not just against one racist caller, but against a broader political narrative. In recent weeks, President Trump escalated his “crime takeover” rhetoric, federalizing police in Washington, D.C., and casting Baltimore, among other Black-led cities, as “so far gone.”

Scott pushed back. With homicide rates at a 50-year low and intentional, public-health-based strategies like the city’s Comprehensive Violence Prevention Plan in full effect, Baltimore was hardly a war zone.

A Community-First Approach, Not Militarization

Trump’s law-and-order posturing clashes with Baltimore’s reality. Under Scott’s leadership, the city has invested in community violence intervention, victim support, and neighborhood revitalization—not militarized enforcement. The proof? Historic drops in violent crime, carjackings, and homicides.

Despite those gains, Scott says critics are irked not because the city isn’t “tackling it,” but because it’s not doing it “their way.” His response? Continuing to lead with integrity, together with community partners—not through fear or force.

Refusing to Be Muzzled

Mayor Scott’s decision to share the voicemail wasn’t meant to amplify hate—it was to expose it, and to stand firm in the face of it. He wore a T-shirt emblazoned with “Blackness Today, Blackness Tomorrow” during the video release—a bold statement of pride amid pain.

He also pushed back on notions that Baltimore’s progress is unearned or incidental. “We’re a Black city, Blickety Blickety Black, as I say,” he declared, affirming that public safety—and pride—can go hand in hand.

What This Moment Means

This was more than a provocative move—it was a declaration. Against racism. Against disinformation. Against attacks on Black governance and effective leadership.

Baltimore is winning—not through intimidation or spectacle, but through investment, collaboration, and truth-telling. And its mayor, unbowed by hate, continues to lead by example.