The M.D. Durrington Perspective - Blacks Left the GOP
The M.D. Durrington Perspective - Blacks Left the GOP: "Blacks Left the GOP
(1852 - 1967)
From Republican To Democrat
Blacks began noticeable change in their political allegiance from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party in about 1934 with the Defeat of Black Republican Oscar DePriest, Congressman of Chicago's South Side. Congressman DePriest was the first Black elected to Congress in the 20th Century. Black Democrat Arthur Mitchell defeated him.
The key to Congressman Mitchell's victory was that he was supported by labor unions, a powerful political interest in the Democratic Party. Originally the Democratic Party prohibited Blacks from joining and former Slaves had no interest in a political allegiance with their former Slave masters. However, Blacks since Emancipation wanted high paying jobs at the many shops, stores, factories, plants, and firms who paid very high wages compared to what they were earning on farms. The only problem was that employment in these shops, stores, factories, plants, and firms was controlled by labor union contracts and labor unions either actively discouraged or expressly prohibited Blacks from labor union membership.
Many Blacks gained employment in these industries by being replacement workers to striking unions. As replacement workers, Blacks became expert meatpackers, coal miners, automobile manufacturers and many other industry professionals. Unions, in order to remain effective were forced by circumstance to open their membership to Blacks.
When Roosevelt's "New Deal" began in 1933, companies with labor union contracts were the priority recipients of government work contracts. Blacks were heavily influenced by fellow union members (in some cases coerced) and began re-registering as Democrats. Unions had even begun donating to the NAACP in order to keep union pressure on Blacks to join the Democratic Party and remain active union members. In the South of course, the Democratic Party banned membership of Blacks but in the North Blacks re-registered as Democrats in large numbers. Blacks found themselves suddenly campaigning for Democrats, giving money to Democrats, and opposing the very Republican Party that had just recently shed blood to free Blacks as Slaves. Black women were offended by this political change, calling men who changed their affiliation from Republican to Democrat “Uncle Toms”. Black Nationalist Marcus called W.E.B. DuBois an Uncle Tom when he changed his Party
This political momentum built slowly through the 1930’s, 40’s and 50’s. There was even a time when political muscle was flexed:
In 1947, Black Union Leader A. Phillip Randolph clashed with President Harry S. Truman over civil rights for African Americans. President Truman called for a peacetime draft, but failed to include a provision against segregation. Randolph founded the Committee Against Jim Crow in Military Service and Training. Within a year, the group became the League for Non-Violent Civil Disobedience Against Military Segregation and called for Blacks to refuse to register for the Draft or refuse to serve if called. Truman met with Randolph and other African-American leaders, but refused to be persuaded.
Randolph later testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee and continued to pressure Truman. Finally Truman relented and issued an executive order barring discrimination in the military on July 26, 1948. Believing they had achieved their purpose, Randolph called off the non-violent civil disobedience campaign.
The Nitrogen boost to that momentum away from the Republican Party was in the 1960’s when Pastor Martin Luther King, Sr. withdrew his political endorsement of then Republican Vice President Richard M. Nixon for President in 1960 to then Democrat New York Senator John F. Kennedy for President. The next event that sealed the fate of the Black vote was the 1964 presidential election when long-time Civil Rights Activist, Republican Arizona Senator, Barry Goldwater decided to vote against the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Campaign for President based on that decision. Ever since then, Blacks have been voting well over 90 percent Democrat.
Republicans Never gave up on Blacks
When the Republican Party first came into power in 1860, they really had only two issues on the table…the abolition of Slavery and the enfranchisement of former Slaves into the Union. After the negotiated end to Federal reconstruction in the South in 1977, the agenda for the Republican Party increased dramatically to include such issues as workers rights, commerce, education, segregation, lynching, and foreign policy.
From the 1880’s to 1950, the Republican Party led valiant efforts to pass Federal anti-lynching legislation. Republicans never got one piece of legislation passed due to the successful and dastardly efforts of the Democrats in the U.S. Congress.
Republicans found themselves in a precarious situation. As they were fighting to pass Anti-lynching legislation, Blacks were leaving the Republican Party and joining the Party whose members either participated in lynchings or sympathized with those who did participate in lynchings. Republicans were having to battle against Blacks in when it came to economics because union leadership (and therefore the union as a whole) became a near exclusive supporter of the Democratic Party. Republicans are now fighting for the Civil Rights of those the very Blacks that they oppose on labor issues in America. Democrats are receiving increasing political support from these Blacks even though they were oppressing Blacks with Jim Crow. Because of this changing political dynamic, the issue of Civil Rights became less about humanity, liberty, and freedom and became more about entitlements. The Republican Party position is that no level of government should engage in entitlement spending. However, the timidity of the Republican Party to assert a challenge to that dynamic and return the debate back to Civil Rights as an avenue to humanity, liberty, and freedom has now caused the Republican Party to seem as though they are against the further advancement of Civil Rights.
Republicans hit a major stump when they nominated Arizona Republican Barry Goldwater to the 1964 Republican Nominee for President. Although he had an excellent record on Civil Rights issues for Blacks, he blundered when he voted against the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Blacks left the Republican almost completely at that point and have never returned since then. Republicans tried to regain Black support when they secured the confirmation in 1967 of the appointment of Thurgood Marshall (then Associate Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit) to be the 1st Black to serve on the United States Supreme Court. Blacks celebrated Justice Marshall’s elevation, but it was not enough to convince Blacks to return to the Republican Party. After 115 years of fighting for Black enfranchisement in America, Justice Marshall’s confirmation would be the last major attempt that the Republican Party would organize to specifically target the upward mobility of Blacks in America.
Citations:
Thomas C. Fleming writings, Library of Congress, Wikipedia.org, wallbuilders.com, aphiliprandolphmuseum.com, aframnews.com.This country must remain the Christian nation because only a Christian nation can ensure that a people who live in its borders are free as individuals from foreign aggression and domestic persecution
Mali D. Currington
Black Republican
Saturday, July 2, 2004
"
(1852 - 1967)
From Republican To Democrat
Blacks began noticeable change in their political allegiance from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party in about 1934 with the Defeat of Black Republican Oscar DePriest, Congressman of Chicago's South Side. Congressman DePriest was the first Black elected to Congress in the 20th Century. Black Democrat Arthur Mitchell defeated him.
The key to Congressman Mitchell's victory was that he was supported by labor unions, a powerful political interest in the Democratic Party. Originally the Democratic Party prohibited Blacks from joining and former Slaves had no interest in a political allegiance with their former Slave masters. However, Blacks since Emancipation wanted high paying jobs at the many shops, stores, factories, plants, and firms who paid very high wages compared to what they were earning on farms. The only problem was that employment in these shops, stores, factories, plants, and firms was controlled by labor union contracts and labor unions either actively discouraged or expressly prohibited Blacks from labor union membership.
Many Blacks gained employment in these industries by being replacement workers to striking unions. As replacement workers, Blacks became expert meatpackers, coal miners, automobile manufacturers and many other industry professionals. Unions, in order to remain effective were forced by circumstance to open their membership to Blacks.
When Roosevelt's "New Deal" began in 1933, companies with labor union contracts were the priority recipients of government work contracts. Blacks were heavily influenced by fellow union members (in some cases coerced) and began re-registering as Democrats. Unions had even begun donating to the NAACP in order to keep union pressure on Blacks to join the Democratic Party and remain active union members. In the South of course, the Democratic Party banned membership of Blacks but in the North Blacks re-registered as Democrats in large numbers. Blacks found themselves suddenly campaigning for Democrats, giving money to Democrats, and opposing the very Republican Party that had just recently shed blood to free Blacks as Slaves. Black women were offended by this political change, calling men who changed their affiliation from Republican to Democrat “Uncle Toms”. Black Nationalist Marcus called W.E.B. DuBois an Uncle Tom when he changed his Party
This political momentum built slowly through the 1930’s, 40’s and 50’s. There was even a time when political muscle was flexed:
In 1947, Black Union Leader A. Phillip Randolph clashed with President Harry S. Truman over civil rights for African Americans. President Truman called for a peacetime draft, but failed to include a provision against segregation. Randolph founded the Committee Against Jim Crow in Military Service and Training. Within a year, the group became the League for Non-Violent Civil Disobedience Against Military Segregation and called for Blacks to refuse to register for the Draft or refuse to serve if called. Truman met with Randolph and other African-American leaders, but refused to be persuaded.
Randolph later testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee and continued to pressure Truman. Finally Truman relented and issued an executive order barring discrimination in the military on July 26, 1948. Believing they had achieved their purpose, Randolph called off the non-violent civil disobedience campaign.
The Nitrogen boost to that momentum away from the Republican Party was in the 1960’s when Pastor Martin Luther King, Sr. withdrew his political endorsement of then Republican Vice President Richard M. Nixon for President in 1960 to then Democrat New York Senator John F. Kennedy for President. The next event that sealed the fate of the Black vote was the 1964 presidential election when long-time Civil Rights Activist, Republican Arizona Senator, Barry Goldwater decided to vote against the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Campaign for President based on that decision. Ever since then, Blacks have been voting well over 90 percent Democrat.
Republicans Never gave up on Blacks
When the Republican Party first came into power in 1860, they really had only two issues on the table…the abolition of Slavery and the enfranchisement of former Slaves into the Union. After the negotiated end to Federal reconstruction in the South in 1977, the agenda for the Republican Party increased dramatically to include such issues as workers rights, commerce, education, segregation, lynching, and foreign policy.
From the 1880’s to 1950, the Republican Party led valiant efforts to pass Federal anti-lynching legislation. Republicans never got one piece of legislation passed due to the successful and dastardly efforts of the Democrats in the U.S. Congress.
Republicans found themselves in a precarious situation. As they were fighting to pass Anti-lynching legislation, Blacks were leaving the Republican Party and joining the Party whose members either participated in lynchings or sympathized with those who did participate in lynchings. Republicans were having to battle against Blacks in when it came to economics because union leadership (and therefore the union as a whole) became a near exclusive supporter of the Democratic Party. Republicans are now fighting for the Civil Rights of those the very Blacks that they oppose on labor issues in America. Democrats are receiving increasing political support from these Blacks even though they were oppressing Blacks with Jim Crow. Because of this changing political dynamic, the issue of Civil Rights became less about humanity, liberty, and freedom and became more about entitlements. The Republican Party position is that no level of government should engage in entitlement spending. However, the timidity of the Republican Party to assert a challenge to that dynamic and return the debate back to Civil Rights as an avenue to humanity, liberty, and freedom has now caused the Republican Party to seem as though they are against the further advancement of Civil Rights.
Republicans hit a major stump when they nominated Arizona Republican Barry Goldwater to the 1964 Republican Nominee for President. Although he had an excellent record on Civil Rights issues for Blacks, he blundered when he voted against the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Blacks left the Republican almost completely at that point and have never returned since then. Republicans tried to regain Black support when they secured the confirmation in 1967 of the appointment of Thurgood Marshall (then Associate Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit) to be the 1st Black to serve on the United States Supreme Court. Blacks celebrated Justice Marshall’s elevation, but it was not enough to convince Blacks to return to the Republican Party. After 115 years of fighting for Black enfranchisement in America, Justice Marshall’s confirmation would be the last major attempt that the Republican Party would organize to specifically target the upward mobility of Blacks in America.
Citations:
Thomas C. Fleming writings, Library of Congress, Wikipedia.org, wallbuilders.com, aphiliprandolphmuseum.com, aframnews.com.This country must remain the Christian nation because only a Christian nation can ensure that a people who live in its borders are free as individuals from foreign aggression and domestic persecution
Mali D. Currington
Black Republican
Saturday, July 2, 2004
"
posted by Robert at 5:15 PM
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