It is still beyond my comprehension why so many Black people lose their minds when you start asking questions – especially about what Black people are getting for their votes. Apparently, there is nothing more dangerous than a Black man who thinks for himself.
I don’t conform, and I don’t let anyone think or speak for me. I can’t help it. I am just following family tradition.
My father had the unique distinction of running afoul of three different political parties in a 10-month period. As a result, he made it his life’s mission to be a political independent and support anyone who was willing to help the Black community.
In November 1971, my father quit the Democratic party, saying that the party was only making symbolic gestures to appeal to African-Americans and not delivering on their promises. He believed that it was insane for all Black people to belong to one party. Democrats would not always be in power, he reasoned, so Black people need to have representation in EVERY party – just like every other ethnic group.
During his tenure as communications director for Voorhees College, a small HBCU located in Denmark, SC, he frequently had to travel to Washington DC to advocate for funding the college. He met frequently with Senator Strom Thurmond, who invited him to join the Republican party.
After resigning from the Democratic party, he joined the Republican party. He said that his objective was to diversify the Black vote. Black people had no political leverage because both parties know that “99 percent of the Black community is going to vote Democratic” (The State Newspaper, August December 8, 1971). “Blacks vote like sheep going to water when they get thirsty – they always vote Democratic,” he continued. “If a significant number of Blacks vote Republican, we’ll probably end up with a Republican governor – then you’ll really see some changes.”
In August 1972, he attended the Republican National Convention in Miami as an observer. He ran afoul of party officials after he called them out for holding secret meetings with only a few Black delegates to discuss Black issues. After he was asked to leave the convention, he held a press conference to announce that he was resigning from the Republican party. He said that state party leaders were “dishonest” and “hypocritical.” “Republicans have been saying a whole lot of things about an open-door policy, but that’s a lie,” he said. “They haven’t proved a thing to me or the Black community.” (The State Newspaper, August 23, 1972).
Later in the article, he said that he and other more militant delegates were excluded from the secret meetings because “I’m not going to stand around nodding and smiling. No one is going to keep me from speaking out because I am not on anyone’s payroll.”
When asked about rejoining the Democratic party, he said “Oh hell no. I’m going to be an independent, working for whomever I want.”
After my father returned to Columbia, state Republican party leaders met with him and persuaded him to remain in the party. He agreed but said that he was still dissatisfied. “There seem to be factions in the state party to suppress a real concerted effort to recruit Blacks into the party,” he said. “This effort was thwarted in the executive committee, which is heavily conservative.” (The State Newspaper, August 25, 1972)
A short time later, he was asked to leave a United Citizens Party meeting (The State Newspaper, October 1, 1972). Party officials didn’t want him asking questions and reporting on the inner workings of the party.
My father then said that he was going to be a Republican in name, but he was going to be an independent in practice and work for anyone who could help his community. Over the years he worked with Democrats such as Governor Dick Riley, Congressman James Clyburn and members of the South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus. He also worked with Republicans such as Congressman Joe Wilson, and Governors Carroll Campbell and David Beasley. In presidential elections, he often bragged about picking and voting for the winner in nearly every election. Always vote for the best candidate, he said.
Because of this, I was raised with a disdain for political parties. I believe, just like my father, that blindly supporting any political party makes you powerless. Politicians should EARN the Black vote by enacting policies that make our lives better.
Black folks should never stop asking questions. I will never stop asking questions. It’s a family tradition.
