Jul 27, 2020 3 min read

More Black history to be learned

In the July 14 edition of the Observer-Reporter{/em}, Gary Stout, an unabashed liberal Democrat, wrote about the need to learn more about African American history. He is correct that much of white America has not been exposed to Black history. Even Black Americans studying Black history in our schools and universities have received only a cursory education. Their education has purposefully omitted some salient facts. Those facts include the history of the Democratic Party and its relation to Black Americans and systemic racism. All of Stout’s litany is true; however, he omitted some of the history he purports to be so crucial in our understanding of African American history. I would like to add some inconvenient facts to his narrative.

In 1856 just two years after it was created, the Republican Party proclaimed the elimination of slavery as its party platform. Two years later, the Democratic Party, which controlled the state of South Carolina, voted to secede from the union in opposition to the strong anti-slavery stance of the Republicans, who started our Civil War.

It was the Republican Party that passed the 13th Amendment which freed the slaves; it was the Republican Party that passed the 14th Amendment, which gave Black people citizenship, and, also the Republican Party that passed the 15th Amendment, which gave African Americans the right to vote. All of these were passed despite virulent opposition from the Democrats.

In 1870 the first Black senator and the first Black congressman were sworn in – both Republicans. Until 1935 every Black representative elected to the House was Republican. And every Black Senator was a Republican until 1979.

The Civil Rights Movement also has an interesting history. Republican President Dwight Eisenhower sent the 101st Airborne Division against Arkansas Democrat Governor Faubus to honor court-ordered integration in public schools. This was followed by the Civil Rights Act of 1960, which was filibustered by 18 Democrats for 125 hours. Not one Republican senator opposed the bill.

Perhaps the largest landmark piece of legislation in Black history is the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Democrats filibustered that too; it passed due to overwhelming Republican support.

And what about the ugly history of the Ku Klux Klan? It was born and bred in the South and spread by the Democratic Party. Research it.

There is so much Black history to be learned. Black and white Americans need to know the whole truth. But the whole truth of America’s history with African Americans has become increasingly elusive.

Stout urges us to examine African American history. I couldn’t agree more. Be careful what you wish for, Mr. Stout. As more people research the real history of African Americans in our great country they may discover the inconvenient facts you failed to mention. I hope you have not opened up Pandora’s box.

Kathryn M. Herrnberger

Eighty Four{&end}