The modern Democratic Party loves to portray itself as a shining beacon of hope for black Americans. Many Americans indeed perceive the Democrats as tireless warriors for racial equality. Isn’t it true that the Democrats have historically confronted the evil forces of bigotry which have threatened to strangle the American dream for black Americans? Let’s review a little history to see how this narrative holds up.
The 1857 Dred Scott decision is widely regarded as the worst decision ever reached by the Supreme Court. Dred Scott was a slave owned by a man named John Emerson. Emerson moved from the slave state of Missouri to the free state of Illinois and then the free territory of Wisconsin before eventually returning to Missouri. With the help of abolitionist lawyers, Dred Scott later sued for his freedom on the grounds that he had resided in a free state and territory. The case eventually reached the Supreme Court.
The Court’s opinion was written by Chief Justice Roger Taney. In Taney’s view, those who crafted the US Constitution never intended to extend the blessings of liberty to African-Americans. Taney’s opinion held that Dred Scott as black slave was simply a piece of property. He could never hold citizenship and therefore had no standing before the court. This despite the fact that many northern states gladly recognized blacks as full citizens with all the privileges thereof – including the right to vote and acknowledgement before the courts.
This outcome would have been bad enough, but Taney was just warming up. He was determined to impose a judicial “solution” to the nationwide problem of slavery. Taney astonishingly claimed that Congress had no power to prohibit slavery in the territories or new states entering the Union. Thus Taney swept away decades of previous Congressional compromise on the issue of slavery, including the Missouri Compromise of 1820 and the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854. The latter had established the principle of popular sovereignty whereby the persons of each territory could decide for themselves whether they would enter the Union as a slave or free state. All this Taney disposed of in one fell swoop. Needless to say, the Dred Scott decision infuriated many Americans especially throughout the north. The Supreme Court reached this conclusion by a vote of 7-2. Most notably for our purposes, the seven judges who supported this horrendous decision were all Democrats. The two judges who bitterly dissented were Republicans.
The Republican Party had been founded in 1854 specifically as an anti-slavery party. Democratic Senator Stephen Douglas of Illinois championed the Kansas-Nebraska Act which allowed the extension of slavery into the western territories. The Republican party vigorously opposed the western spread of slavery. Their goal was to limit slavery to the southern states where it already exited with the explicit aim of eventually abolishing slavery throughout the nation. The Democratic party, on the other hand, passionately supported the injustices of slavery throughout the antebellum period. In fact, the outbreak of the civil war was a direct consequence of the 1860 election of Abraham Lincoln as the first Republican president. Lincoln, of course, had risen to prominence in part because of his famous debates with Douglas. Knowing that an anti-slavery Republican would be assuming the presidency, the southern slave states began to declare their succession from the Union. On April 12, 1861 – just over one month after Lincoln took office – the Confederates fired the first shots of the Civil War when they began shelling Fort Sumter in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina.
The nation paid a enormous price in blood and devastation before the forces of slavery were finally defeated. An estimated 360,000 Federal soldiers lost their lives, while another 260,000 Confederates perished. Yet even after four long years of bitter conflict, the Democratic party continued to vociferously oppose extending freedom and citizenship to black Americans. Congress in 1865 gloriously passed the 13th amendment which finally forbid slavery throughout the United States. Soon after, the 14th amendment extended citizenship to blacks, and the 15th amendment gave blacks the right to vote. All three of these amendments enjoyed universal Republican support and determined Democratic opposition.
The Democratic persecution of black Americans persisted long after the Civil War. During the post-war reconstruction era, the newly won freedom of former black slaves was enforced by federal troops. But when reconstruction ended in 1877, these troops were no longer present to protect the rights of African-Americans. Democrats regained power throughout the “solid south,” still bitterly resentful of the Republicans who had prosecuted the war and freed the slaves. The Democrats did all they could to re-establish a southern culture of white supremacy. They passed laws which severely hindered the ability of blacks to own property or operate businesses. Poll taxes and literacy tests were used to discourage blacks from voting. Often times, blacks were oppressed by direct intimidation and violence.
The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) was founded just after the civil war by former officers of the Confederate Army. Democrat Nathan Bedford Forrest was the Klan’s first grand wizard. Forrest was a remarkable character who began the civil war by enlisting in the Confederate Army as a lowly private. Despite having no military experience, he quickly rose through the ranks on account of his daring and resourceful cavalry tactics. By the end of the war, Forrest had achieved the rank of lieutenant general! Nathan Bedford Forrest became a hero throughout the South by antagonizing and defeating Union forces despite often being substantially outnumbered. One Confederate recruiting flyer quotes Forrest as saying, “Come on boys, if you want a heap of fun and to kill some Yankees.” Although undoubtedly a gifted military mind, Forrest had a vicious and intemperate streak. He and his men were responsible for the 1864 “Fort Pillow Massacre.” After capturing Fort Pillow, Tennessee, Confederate troops under Forrest’s command cut down scores of Union troops, many of whom were black former slaves attempting to surrender.
The Klu Klux Klan spread throughout the south during the post war years. The Klan “became a vehicle for white southern resistance to the Republican Party’s Reconstruction-era policies aimed at establishing political and economic equality for black Americans.” (History.com) Historian Eric Foner notes: “In effect, the Klan was a military force serving the interests of the Democratic Party.”
It wasn’t until a century after the Civil War that Democratic opposition to black rights finally began to soften. Under the leadership of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., civil rights protests seized the national consciousness during the early 1960’s. Especially notable was one protest in Birmingham, Alabama, where the police violently attacked protesters with dogs, clubs, and high pressure water hoses. Such dramatic events spurred Democratic President John F. Kennedy to support new civil rights legislation. Although Kennedy was assassinated in November of 1963, new President Lyndon B. Johnson took up the cause. Thus the Civil Rights Act of 1964 came before Congress. This legislation prohibited racial segregation in any public space such as restaurants, theaters, or parks. The Act also forbade employment discrimination on the basis of race. Although the Civil Rights Act enjoyed fairly broad bipartisan support, the primary opposition came from southern Democrats, led by Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia. Byrd was a former leader in the Ku Klux Klan. In an attempt to derail the Civil Rights Act, Byrd and other southern Democrats conducted the longest filibuster in US Senate history: 75 days! Thankfully, enough votes were eventually obtained to pass this vital legislation into law.
Much more could be said, but even this brief lesson in history reveals the truth: the Republican Party has historically fought for the freedom and full equality of black Americans. Meanwhile, Democratic Party has a long and troubling history of racism and injustice. But what about the modern Democratic Party? Surely, today’s Democratic politicians have now become the great defenders of African-Americans? Well, not so much. In fact, the failed policies supported by contemporary Democrats are just as troubling as the dark history of the Democratic party. Such policies continue to inflict tremendous harm upon the black community.
We’ve previously explored how Democratic policies have contributed to the tragic breakdown of the black family. (“The Greatest Menace to Black Americans”, August 13th) Today let’s briefly glance at one of the other great threats to the black community: the public school system. Each year the National Assessment of Educational Progress publishes a national “report card,” gauging how well America’s students are learning. The results should be horrifying to all Americans. 27 urban school districts participated in the most recent 2019 study. The proficiency rates for black school children in these urban districts are shockingly, embarrassingly poor. In math, Charlotte, North Carolina has the best results – yet only 24% of Charlotte’s black 8th graders are proficient. In reading, Boston’s schools take the top spot, with 20% proficiency. Most urban public school systems barely reach double digits. For some cities, the proficiency rates are almost incomprehensible. Detroit? 4% math and 5% reading. Milwaukee: 5% math and 7% reading. The appalling fact is the America’s large urban public schools are utterly failing to educate black students.
Our large urban school districts certainly don’t lack resources. In 2019, for instance, New York City public schools spent an astonishing $28,004 per pupil – enough money to send a student to an elite private school! (Proficiency for black 8th graders in New York’s public schools? 10% in math and 14% in reading.) Boston schools allotted $25,653 per student and Washington D.C. $22,406.
Now I will be the first one to say that educational success begins at home. This points back to the dissolution of the black family and our nation’s desperate need to encourage strong black marriages. However, this reality does not let our big city public school systems off the hook. As every American knows, our large cities are dominated by Democratic politicians and the powerful public teacher’s unions which control them. Sadly, the Democratic Party has adamantly opposed giving black students the opportunity to attend a charter or private school. Yet there are mountains of evidence showing that the very same black kids struggling in public schools can thrive in right situation. In more recent years, Democrats have attempted to sweep all this failure under the rug by eliminating objective achievement tests. It’s as if the Democratic Party has simply given up and thrown in the towel. They seem to be content with current wretched state of affairs, as long as blacks continue to vote them back into office. Meanwhile, courageous Republicans such as Betsy DeVos have consistently championed school choice through charter schools and voucher systems. Such opportunities can make a huge impact on the life of young black children. Escape from a public school system may be the difference between a life of flourishing or a life of misery.
So… which political party is the best advocate for the well-being of the black community?
