Why read Farewell to the Party of Lincoln?

Book cover of Farewell to the Party of Lincoln: Black Politics in the Age of F.D.R

Book description

This book examines a remarkable political phenomenon--the dramatic shift of black voters from the Republican to the Democratic party in the 1930s, a shift all the more striking in light of the Democrats' indifference to racial concerns. Nancy J. Weiss shows that blacks became Democrats in response to the economic…

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American history

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Why read it?

1 author picked Farewell to the Party of Lincoln as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Jill Watts

Author

Nancy Weiss traces how Black Americans, who traditionally voted Republican, abandoned the Party of Lincoln for the Democrats during the Roosevelt era. By 1932, Black dissatisfaction with the GOP had surfaced and centered on Herbert Hoover’s mishandling of the Great Depression. Although Hoover still won Black votes, Black Americans crossed over to support FDR in key electoral districts. Roosevelt’s New Deal economic programs neglected to remedy Black poverty and inequality but the President’s progressive reputation made him popular with many in the Black community. Creative campaign strategies targeting the Black community increased Black support for FDR and solidified the Democratic…

From Jill's list on The best books on Black Americans and the Roosevelt era.