Why are the vast majority of black American voters Democrats?

[TheBear]

In the light of the fact that it was the Democrats who opposed the 13th Amendment, and the fact that it was the Democrats who fought against allowing blacks to vote, and that the KKK was founded by Democrats, and that it was Democrats who supported the Jim Crow laws, and that Democrats opposed integration laws, and that it was Republicans who wanted to end all that bigoted craziness and racism ... why in the world would a black citizen want to be even remotely associated with the Democratic party, let alone be a dyed in the wool Democrat?

 

[pakicetus]

Everything you mentioned happened a long time ago -- before this. If the Democrats were still in favor of slavery or Jim Crow laws, very few blacks would vote for them.

 

[Vylo]

In the light of the fact that it was the Democrats who opposed the 13th Amendment, and the fact that it was the Democrats who fought against allowing blacks to vote, and that the KKK was founded by Democrats, and that it was Democrats who supported the Jim Crow laws, and that Democrats opposed integration laws, and that it was Republicans who wanted to end all that bigoted craziness and racism ... why in the world would a black citizen want to be even remotely associated with the Democratic party, let alone be a dyed in the wool Democrat?

look up "southern strategy"

Essentially, some republicans wanted to break up the "Solid South" of the democrats, and knew they could do so by taking their racist base by catering to them and putting the dems in awkward positions that made them favor civil rights. This culminated with the Civil Rights Act, which while Johnson was sure would lead to the decline of the party, was "the right thing to do". Turns out that while the dems did indeed lose their southern base, they gained an almost lockstep support from african americans, so the party didn't implode from the action. This swap changed the parties to be similar to what we have now (the republican party has been morphing a bit and potentially fracturing)

 

[NightHawkeye]

In the light of the fact that it was the Democrats who opposed the 13th Amendment, and the fact that it was the Democrats who fought against allowing blacks to vote, and that the KKK was founded by Democrats, and that it was Democrats who supported the Jim Crow laws, and that Democrats opposed integration laws, and that it was Republicans who wanted to end all that bigoted craziness and racism ... why in the world would a black citizen want to be even remotely associated with the Democratic party, let alone be a dyed in the wool Democrat?

It's a Jedi mind trick ... though some would call it brain-washing. It was an evil plan hatched by LBJ who is quoted as saying that he'd have them voting Democrat for the next hundred years.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

In America if you want to get ahead, vote Republican. If you want to survive, vote Democrat.

 

[essentialsaltes]

A third vote for "Southern Strategy". The Republican party threw off the mantle of Lincoln, and embraced racist southerners.

 

[Darkhorse]

Actually, the black shift started long before the "southern strategy". When the Depression hit, many people became poor, and the poor became poorer. The blacks, by and large, were poor before the Depression hit, and their situation only got worse. FDRs programs were the only support many people had, and most of those became Democrats if they weren't already. As conditions slowly improved, they improved less and more slowly for blacks (as a whole), and the blacks remained loyal to the Democrat party's promotion of "entitlements".

 

[nightflight]

A third vote for "Southern Strategy". The Republican party threw off the mantle of Lincoln, and embraced racist southerners.

I would quote LBJ here, expressing his own "strategy"; but forum rules won't allow it.

I'll let you look up that progressive icon's words yourself.

 

[essentialsaltes]

The first known occurrence of 'that quote' is from a book written more than 30 years after the event it supposedly records. Regardless, if LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act, and the Republicans and Nixon tossed away their early support for Civil Rights to snuggle up to racist southerners, the sentiment may well be correct.

 

[whatbogsends]

It's quite simple, actually. Modern day Republicans pay lip service to the plight of the white Christian male, while Democrats pay lip service to the plight of women and minorities. Many voters look only at what the party politicians say, while not doing the work to find out what they actually do (which is often a stark contrast to their words, for the vast majority of politicians).

 

[TheBear]

What has changed in the Democratic party from the 1960's to present day?

 

[Darkhorse]

Lots. In 1968 two of the Democrat presidential hopefuls were Eugene McCarthy and Robert Kennedy. Both were radically different from the "FDR democrats" like LBJ, JFK, and Truman. McCarthy was openly radical and got limited support, while Kennedy hid most of his radicalism under the Kennedy mystique and got support from both old-style and new-style Democrats.

Then Kennedy was assassinated, and McCarthy appeared too weak to get the nomination. At the DNC convention in Chicago, rioting broke out as the young radical Democrats expressed their dissatisfaction with the Old Guard (Humphrey) who looked like they would take the nomination, which they did. Of course, Humphrey lost the election.

By 1972, the radical wing of the party had taken full power, and has held it ever since.

 

[revanneosl]

What has changed in the Democratic party from the 1960's to present day?

If you're honestly asking that question in the year our Lord 2015, then I really think you need to go back to your High School and ask for your money back.

 

[JasonClark]

In the light of the fact that it was the Democrats who opposed the 13th Amendment, and the fact that it was the Democrats who fought against allowing blacks to vote, and that the KKK was founded by Democrats, and that it was Democrats who supported the Jim Crow laws, and that Democrats opposed integration laws, and that it was Republicans who wanted to end all that bigoted craziness and racism ... why in the world would a black citizen want to be even remotely associated with the Democratic party, let alone be a dyed in the wool Democrat?

Knowing all of that perhaps the question should be "Why are the vast majority of black Americans not Republicans"?
That would be a much easier question to answer.

 

[SkyWriting]

In the light of the fact that it was the Democrats who opposed the 13th Amendment, and the fact that it was the Democrats who fought against allowing blacks to vote, and that the KKK was founded by Democrats, and that it was Democrats who supported the Jim Crow laws, and that Democrats opposed integration laws, and that it was Republicans who wanted to end all that bigoted craziness and racism ... why in the world would a black citizen want to be even remotely associated with the Democratic party, let alone be a dyed in the wool Democrat?

The parties have changed over time.
Keep in mind the very premise of politics.
To be "conservative" means you want
Obama to "stay" in office.

Now republicans need to rally for "change."

 

[Armoured]

dp

 

[JasonClark]

Now republicans need to rally for "change."

Change to what? repeal Obamacare and have people go back to having no health insurance?
Tens of thousands of people die in the US every year because they can not afford on going health care, is that what they want to keep seeing happen?

 

[JustOneWay]

The republican party is the party of the whites. The democratic party is the party of all the minorities.

 

[TheBear]

Have black Americans voters always been majority Democrat, or were they once majority Republican?

 

[JasonClark]

Have black Americans voters always been majority Democrat, or were they once majority Republican?

I don't know but I must ask what difference it makes what they were? surly it's what they are today that matters.

The election in 2016 will determine whether the US moves forwards or backwards so it's important that people look to the future not the past.