I never, in my life, felt more certain that I was doing right, than I do in signing this paper. If my name ever goes into history it will be for this act, and my whole soul is in it.” – President Abraham Lincoln as he signed the Emancipation Proclamation Jan. 1, 1863
Yes, the Republican Party used to be the Party of Lincoln and for that time, they were the party of anti-slavery.
But let’s be clear, the Democratic Party, the once conservative party, was staunchly pro-slavery, saying “Slavery was intended as a special blessing to the people of the United States.”
So what happened to the Republican Party?
As Blacks were being lynched, denied their civil rights, denied the right to vote and hounded by the KKK, President Eisenhower sent troops to the South to protect minorities. Everything changed in 1964 and 1965, when the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act were signed by President Lyndon Johnson.
The GOP’s 1964 nominee for president, Barry Goldwater, voted against the CRA. Goldwater won only his state of Arizona and five states in the Deep South. Ayes for both the CRA and VRA came from both Republicans and Democrats.
I remember growing up in the ’60s. I learned the terms red-lining, unfair housing, racism, bigotry and even saw evidence of all of this. I also grew up with classmates whose parents did this.
I also had friends or the parents wearing George Wallace hats. George Wallace was the racist governor of Alabama who declared “segregation today, tomorrow and forever!” The George Wallace folks just traded in their hats for today’s MAGA hats.
Of course, Trump and his dad engaged in red-lining.