Presidents - Civil Rights
1890 – 1913 Harrison, Cleveland, McKinley, T Roosevelt, Taft
Little influence on civil rights
Disenfranchisement against AA voters, not targeted by presidents
Argued states’ rights to deal with civil rights
Laissez faire approach from presidents
1989, Ida B Wells write to McKinley (1897-01) regarding lynching, no cations as states issues
T Roosevelt (01-09) – invited Booker T Washington to white house, symbolic guest
Analysis:
Little incentive for presidents to act
No federal response to racial violence, lynching, left to states
Slow rate and pace of change
State decisions primarily
1913 – 1933 Wilson, Harding, Coolidge, Hoover
Wilson (13-21) – April 2017, said ‘the world must be safe for democracy’, July 1917 parade of 15,000
AA against lynching in retaliation to ‘safe for democracy’
1919 Chicago race riots, AA migration to North cities
Analysis:
Laisses faire attitude pre wall street crash
Slow rate and pace of change as states decisions
1933 – 1945 FD Roosevelt
Democrat
New deal 1933
AA voters changed from republican to democrat
Symbolic gestures Eleanor Roosevelt
1938, Civil Rights section of justice department
Analysis:
Slow pace due to cautious approach
Focus on US economy, great depression
1890 – 1913 Harrison, Cleveland, McKinley, T Roosevelt, Taft
Little influence on civil rights
Disenfranchisement against AA voters, not targeted by presidents
Argued states’ rights to deal with civil rights
Laissez faire approach from presidents
1989, Ida B Wells write to McKinley (1897-01) regarding lynching, no cations as states issues
T Roosevelt (01-09) – invited Booker T Washington to white house, symbolic guest
Analysis:
Little incentive for presidents to act
No federal response to racial violence, lynching, left to states
Slow rate and pace of change
State decisions primarily
1913 – 1933 Wilson, Harding, Coolidge, Hoover
Wilson (13-21) – April 2017, said ‘the world must be safe for democracy’, July 1917 parade of 15,000
AA against lynching in retaliation to ‘safe for democracy’
1919 Chicago race riots, AA migration to North cities
Analysis:
Laisses faire attitude pre wall street crash
Slow rate and pace of change as states decisions
1933 – 1945 FD Roosevelt
Democrat
New deal 1933
AA voters changed from republican to democrat
Symbolic gestures Eleanor Roosevelt
1938, Civil Rights section of justice department
Analysis:
Slow pace due to cautious approach
Focus on US economy, great depression
