Farewell to the party of Lincoln: Black politics in the age of FDR

by Nancy J. Weiss

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 benefits of the New Deal and that they voted for Franklin Roosevelt in spite of the New Deal's lack of a substantive record on race.

By their support for FDR blacks forged a political commitment to the Democratic party that has lasted to our own time. The last group to join the New Deal coalition, they have been the group that remained the most loyal to the Democratic party. This book explains the sources of their commitment in the 1930s. It stresses the central role of economic concerns in shaping black political behavior and clarifies both the New Deal record on race and the extraordinary relationship between black voters and the Roosevelts.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

360 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

A scholar in 20th century American history, Nancy Weiss Malkiel came to Princeton as an assistant professor in 1969 after earning her Ph.D. at Harvard University, was promoted to associate professor in 1975 and to full professor in 1982. She received a B.A. (1965) and an honorary degree (1997) from Smith College.

Reviews

[Billy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shows how and why Afro-Americans became committed to Rooseveltian democrats. Their new deal allegiance ended a long-standing loyalty to the Republican party of Lincoln. Democrats battled for anti-lynching and anti-poll tax legislation, especially Eleanor Roosevelt. Race became a touchy subject for FDR. He could not wholeheartedly endorse anti-lynching legislation because he needed southern senators to help pass new deal legislation. Again, ERs symbolic alliance with black political leaders made for good press, but did not transform FDRs policies. It was enough, however. The Black vote swung to democrats for the first time since reconstruction. By 1937, roughly 390,000 blacks worked on the Works Progress Administration, making up 20% of the WPAs employees. Blacks also benefited from new schooling and housing opportunities. In short, blacks shifted alliances for economic reasons. Importantly, this shift has remained permanent. Ironically, as Weiss points out, “the new deal paid only the most limited attention to blacks, and yet it was in response to the New Deal that blacks moved into the Democratic fold.” (review)

In Short:

- The New Deal marked a dramatic shift in African American history. For the first time, blacks and whites were included in the same government programs for economic recovery.
- Little actual legislation was aimed at blacks. Yet, ERs publicity and FDRs black appointees helped to sway black opinon.
- Economic concerns trumped scant-symbolic African American concern.
- During the New Deal, blacks shifted away from the Republican Party Permanently.
- They recognized that they could benefit from government, not simply be victims of its actions.
- ‘30s trends of black activism: Poverty, militant protests, religious readers, liberal reform, remained standards of African American movements of the 1950s and 1960s.

For Comparison:

Sitkoff,

Shales: This libertarian-sympathetic view of the new deal…that it was wasteful, did not help the USA get out of depression, and that Americans would have been better off with Wendle Wilkes brand of privatization (ex. TVA), excludes blacks almost altogether.

Denning – Denning sees jazz, and not white folk, as the popular front music of expression. Ellington and Billie Holiday, however, may have been activists, but were hardly communist sympathizers. Also, where are the black intellectuals of this movement? Having to look at popular entertainment for examples shows the weakness of his argument.

[Igor Zurimendi · Rating 3 out of 5]

For an academic account it was a bit too shallow for my liking - still good.

[Art · Rating 4 out of 5]

The current administration could learn much from this book.

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was kind of interesting. I wish she used more of her own words and didn't relay so much on outside voices.