Tuesday, May 31, 2005

Post-Hiatis Republican History

I'm just back from two weeks vacation, so I'm going to post all the This Day in Republican History articles that I missed. I want to maintain continuity in the documentation of Democratic human rights violations through American history and the Republican Party's struggle to fight them. It's important to see just how racist and anti-progressive the Democrat Party actually is and always has been. May 17, 1954 Chief Justice Earl Warren, three-term Republican Governor (CA) and Republican vice presidential nominee in 1948, wins unanimous support of Supreme Court for school desegregation in Brown v. Board of Education May 18, 1896 Republican Justice John Marshall Harlan, dissenting from Supreme Court’s notorious Plessy v. Ferguson “separate but equal” decision, declares: “Our Constitution is color-blind, and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens” May 19, 1870 African-American John Langston, law professor and future Republican Congressman from Virginia, delivers influential speech supporting President Ulysses Grant’s civil rights policies May 20, 1868 Republican National Convention marks debut of African-American politicians on national stage; two – Pinckney Pinchback and James Harris – attend as delegates, and several serve as presidential electors May 21, 1919 Republican House passes constitutional amendment granting women the vote with 85% of Republicans in favor, but only 54% of Democrats; in Senate, 80% of Republicans would vote yes, but almost half of Democrats no May 22, 1856 For denouncing Democrats’ pro-slavery policy, Republican U.S. Senator Charles Sumner (R-MA) is beaten nearly to death on floor of Senate by U.S. Rep. Preston Brooks (D-SC) May 23, 2003 U.S. Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) introduces bill to establish National Museum of African American History and Culture May 24, 1900 Republicans vote no in referendum for constitutional convention in Virginia, designed to create a new state constitution disenfranchising African-Americans May 25, 1928 Republican Genevieve Cline becomes first woman in nation to serve as federal judge; appointed to U.S. Customs Court by President Calvin Coolidge May 26, 2001 African-American Claude Allen, nominated by President George W. Bush, is confirmed as U.S. Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services May 27, 1987 Vietnamese-American cadet Hoang Nhu Tran, former boat person, graduates as valedictorian from U.S. Air Force Academy; nominated by U.S. Senator Bill Armstrong (R-CO) May 28, 1930 Birth of U.S. Rep. Patricia Saiki (R-HI), first Asian-American to lead a federal agency; appointed head of U.S. Small Business Administration by President George H. W. Bush May 29, 1902 Virginia Democrats implement new state constitution, condemned by Republicans as illegal, reducing African-American voter registration by 86% May 30, 1854 Democrat President Franklin Pierce signs Democrats’ Kansas-Nebraska Act, expanding slavery into U.S. territories; opponents unite to form the Republican Party