What Attracts African Americans to the Republican Party

Historically Speaking:

The Republican Party was formed on July 6, 1854 in Jackson, Michigan. The formation of the party had 2 priorities:

1. Stop the advancement of the slave trade into the northern states. (Kansas-Nebraska Act expanded the practice of slavery)

2. To completely abolish the practice of slavery, if possible.

First you must understand that the Republicans were the Christian abolitionists. They helped pave a way for the under ground railroad, utilizing their money and homes.

According to, historian, Professor John Hope Franklin of Brooklyn College, “The Democrats were everywhere the party of white supremacy, and many radical Republicans moved down South to protect the disenfranchised African American. Contrary to popular belief, the Democratic Party gave birth to the KKK, because they never lost their outrage at the idea of Negro equality”

Many would be surprised to learn that

1. A number of black schools and colleges were actually founded and named after white Republicans, including Morehouse College and Howard University.

2. The first black elected officials after the civil war were Republicans, not Democrats. In fact this is the rich heritage, which we have lost.

3. The founding fathers of the NAACP were themselves white and were individuals who supported the Republicans Party and its effort to assist to African Americans.

From 1866 to 1928 Blacks votes exclusively Republican.

The majority returned to the Republican Party after Roosevelt, then switched again during the 1960’s Civil Rights Movement.

President Richard Nixon, a Republican signed the legislation for Affirmative Action.

(3 major black newspapers encouraged Black Americans in 1928 to switch because they did not see any change in racial equalities. After electing a Democrat, Roosevelt into office, the papers were banned and considered communist by Roosevelt even though they gave him the Black vote. (The Pittsburg Courier, Norfolk Journal, & the Baltimore Afro-American)

Promises

In the sixties, promises from politicians convinced a new generation of African American that the government had the answers to employment discrimination, poverty, and racial injustices. Candidates told our preachers and their newly registered voters that, if they voted for the Democrats, they would pass legislation and develop programs that would address the concerns of the Blacks. Many of the young voters, not knowing their own history willing gave their votes to the Democrats and still do today.

They Forgot

1. The Republican Party was the first major political party that openly expressed their opposition to slavery and took a firm position against it.

2. It was the Republican Party that pushed and fought for the emancipation.

3. From 1869 to 1880 there were 16 Republican African Americans who served in Congress.

4. We had two (2) Republican Senator, Hiram Revels and Blanche K. Bruce who served in Congress.

5. The Democratic Party has never, to this day, elected an African American to serve in the United States Senate.

6. The Civil Rights Acts of 1866, 1875, 1957, and 1960 were passed by Republican administrations.

7. The Democrats sponsored and passed Black Codes and Jim Crow laws, which legalized a multitude of discriminatory practices designed to deny blacks their rights as citizens.

8. All of our key historical figures identified with the Republican Party, including Frederick Douglass, Harriett Tubman, Sojourner Truth and Booker T. Washington.

Many of you would be shocked to know that even Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Republican until he joined and helped lead the 1960’s switching with the Democratic Party..

What is the main force that attracts people to the Republican Party?

It is the Platform of the Party.

When we think about moral and family values, education, taxes, economic empowerment, then the Republican Party is your choice.

Our Moral and family values are tightly held together by our belief in God. This is the same faith that kept us for years as a people and as a country. We firmly believe “with God all things are possible”.

Education: We believe in parental involvement, school choice, such as the FLOW Academy, our local charter school, and that competition will improve public education.

Economic Empowerment: As we as a people have become accustomed to programs that leave the recipient dependent on the system. We believe in free enterprise and economic empowerment. God has blessed us with many talents that are being buried. We have gifted entrepreneurs, young men and women who are tired of the handouts and want in on the action of business ownership. We have to teach them to become the next Robert Johnson or Tavis Smiley, rather than waiting under the thumb of the new type of slavery, i.e. welfare.

Affirmative Action- Former President Richard Nixon, a Republican signed the legislation for Affirmative Action. Ward Connelly, a black man, pushed in California for Affirmative Action to be on the ballots and the people voted it out. He then reached his arms into other southern states, going so far as to sue the State in the Supreme Courts to change the statue. In our state rather than do away with Affirmative Action, our Governor, changed the way the statue is written to help empower Blacks.

Locally all of Republican City Council and “former” Republican Mayor Ergle appointed our first Black Police Chief.

The only elected Black American in our community is Republican, Mary Sue Rich.

Republican, Jim Yancey, appointed our first Black Female Deputy Superintendent of Schools.

President George W. Bush

Under this administration we have 2 powerful individuals on his staff that I am sure you easily recognize their names, Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State and Alphonso Johnson, Secretary of Housing & Urban Development, not to mention the many other key appointments. He has appointed several African Americans to works on his campaign from within our County.