By Mason Weaver
I have heard this statement all of my decades of public life. Accusations delivered as if there are no real answers. I usually make a joke out of it, giving a short response like “NOTHING” we have never owned any. But sometimes I am in a serious discussion with thoughtful people looking for real answers. In those cases, I would try to respond with clarity and historical points.
Recently I ran across a very impressive list of “31 things republicans have done for blacks” and thought I would share them. OF course the list could be in the thousands so feel free to ad yours. Thanks.
Mason Weaver
Founder, Leave The Plantation Organization
I’m going to name some things that the Republicans have done to help blacks.
1. Republicans passed the 13 Amendment, which ended slavery.
2. Republicans passed the 14th Amendment, which made black people citizens.
3. Republicans passed the 15th Amendment, which gave black people the right to vote.
4. Republicans started Howard University for blacks. (White Republican Oliver Howard started Howard University) Oliver Howard was also a solider that fought to free the slaves.
5. Republicans started Spelman College for blacks. (White Republican John D Rockefeller put up the money to build Spelman college, and in return that college was named after his wife Laura Spelman Rockefeller)
6. Republican Henry L. Morehouse helped to start Morehouse College an all black college for boys, and in his honor that college was named after him.
7. Republican Erastus Milo Cravath started Fisk University an all black college. Erastus was also the president of Fisk for 20 years.
8. Republican Henry Martin Tupper started Shaw University, which is the first black University in America. Henry Tupper also fought in the Civil War to help end slavery.
9. Republicans passed the Civil Rights Act of 1866, which gave blacks the right to buy and own property.
10. Republicans passed the Civil Rights Act of 1871, to protect blacks from the Ku Klux Klan.
11. Republicans passed the Civil Rights Act of 1875, which gave blacks the right to serve on a Jury.
12. Republicans passed the Civil Rights Act of 1957.
13. Republicans passed the Civil Rights Act of 1960.
14. Republican president Dwight Eisenhower sent in the Federal troops to escort black kids to school in Arkansas, this is known as the Little Rock 9.
15. Republicans created 40 Acres and a Mule for blacks—-Republican (Thaddeus Stevens) created a bill saying that black people should get 40 acres and a mule. (But Democrat president Andrew Johnson blocked it, and he prevented former black slaves from getting 40 acres and a mule).
16. Republican Senator (Everett Dirksen) was one of the main people that (wrote) the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and he helped that law get passed. He gave a powerful speech on the Senate floor to help get that bill passed, he also helped to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1968.
17. Most Republicans voted in favor of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
18. Most Republicans voted in favor of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
19. Republican president Ronald Reagan signed into law the bill making Dr. King birthday a national holiday.
20. Republican president George Bush Sr brought Federal charges against the 4 white police officers that beat up Rodney King.
21. Republican president George W Bush gave Africa 48 billion dollars in funding.
22. Republican president George W Bush has given Africa more money than any other U.S. president.
23. In George W Bush first term, the US more than doubled development assistance to Africa and helped secure $34 billion in debt relief for 19 African countries.
24 George W Bush created the President’s Malaria Initiative, committing $1.2 billion to fight Malaria in Africa.
25. George W Bush started the (Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon) program to help fight cancer in Africa. This program along with Bush program to fight AIDS in Africa has helped to save 12 million lives on the continent of Africa.
26. George W Bush partnered with the Starkey Hearing foundation, to help fight hearing loss in Africa.
27. George W Bush increased funding to black colleges.
28. In 1956 Republicans endorsed and supported Brown VS Board of Education, which desegregated public schools in America.
29. Republican president Richard Nixon desegregated public schools.
30. In 2018 the Republican controlled Congress and Senate (wrote and passed) a Criminal Justice Reform bill called the First Step Act, which help blacks that received unfair prison sentences.
31. Meharry Medical College was the first medical school in the South to offer four-year training, this black medical school was started by Republican Samuel Meharry. http://www.mmc.edu/about/salt-wagon-story.html
White Republican Samuel MeHarry and his four brothers put up 30,000 dollars to start this college.
This is second oldest medical school in America that was started for blacks.
These are some students at Meharry Medical college.
