Why did african americans turn away from the Republican party in the 30's?

Question

African Americans traditionally voted for the party of Lincoln until the 1932, and, 1936 elections. Why the switch?

Answer 1

FDR and the New Deal. A chicken in every pot. He promised that he would end the depression and started what we call today the socialist march on Washington. It fooled an entire generation. Have no fear, they are learning the errors of their ways, and finally understand that anything free is just a way of saying you will pay for it later. I give you social security as a fine FDR example. I give you the Rural Electric Administration.... hey do you have a light bill? I thought the government was going to provide electricity in every home.... oh it's there all right, but who gets the check, the people who paid for the power lines or Edison and friends.....

Answer 2

I can never understand why black people in America are called African Americans. Since most can trace their roots back over 150 years they're probably more American than most. I never hear white Americans being called EuroAmericans yet most of them come from Europe, most well after the slave trade brought the black people in.

However, to answer your question. Originally, the Republican Party was favored by African Americans after the end of the civil war and emancipation of black slaves. This trend started to gradually change in the 1930's with Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal programs that gave economic relief to all minorities including African Americans and Hispanics. Support for the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960's by Democratic presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson helped give the Democrats even larger support among the African American community, although their position also alienated the Southern White population.

Answer 3

Please understand that comparing our two major political parties from the 1930's to the two as they are now is not at all a valid comparison.

That would be about like comparing the cars we had then to the ones we have now. Not even the same thing.

The democrat party was COMPLETELY different and stood for different things. Gay rights, abortion, social entitlements, outright hatred for conservatives, none of those things were democrat issues in the 1930's.

Today, those are the top concerns. The welfare of farmers and workers are now at the very bottom of the democrat list, if they are even still on the list.

In those times, the democrat party looked out for the agrarian worker which is the way many blacks survived. That is one reason the black and other working class people were drawn to the democrat party.

Answer 4

Because they liked FDR and his New Deal policies. So did white socially conservative southerners though. If you look at the election maps from back then, FDR's greatest support came from the South.

Blacks completed the transition to the Democratic Party in 1964 when Democrats ran liberal Democrat LBJ while Republicans ran conservative Republican Barry Goldwater.

LBJ was for civil rights. Goldwater was for "state-rights" and against the civil rights movement.

Not suprisingly the white South voted Republican. The South has been becoming more and more Republican since then while the yankee north has been becoming more and more Democrat.

Answer 5

Hello again Soggy letters,

I think the answer lies in the fact that the GOP symbol is an Asian Elephant and not of the African variety...



I hope this clarifies matters,

Signed,

The Black Caucasian

Answer 6

Jason's answer is the best I've seen so far. The KKK integrated their agenda into BOTH parties during the 1910's and 1920's. Sorry, kidlet, but your teacher is wrong. Most Republicans were NOT supporting the Nazis. They were more about isolationism, until the Pearl Harbor attacks made them realize how wrong that thinking was.

Answer 7

The Republican Party left its roots and started to cater to business. Many minority groups (blacks, Jews, etc.) had been loyal to the party for a long time but had been neglected. Roosevelt courted them and kept his promisesto help (for good or ill). 1932 is the year the of major shifts in political ideology.

Answer 8

First off African Americans don't comprise all the colored people of our country like Haitians, Jamaicans, Bahamians, etc so blacks would probably be a better term to use.

Liberals and Democrats act like they want to help black people but it's all talk and they just do it for votes and don't help any of them. Did you know Republicans donate more money out of their own pockets than Democrats times like 10? Democrats have no problem helping people and giving money to causes so long as it's taxpayers money and not their own.

Answer 9

Because from 1928 to 1937 a "Jackson" was in the White House. (Andrew Jackson - Democrat)

Answer 10

It's hard to understand it being that most of the KKK was made up of racists from the Democrat party. Check it out for yourself. Bull Connor, George Wallce and Lester Maddox were all pure dem bigots, although that was in the 50's and 60's.